Part 6 (2/2)
Suddenly Bosephus gave a shout of laughter.
”Get up, Ratio,” he called, ”it's our steamboat! We're right near the river and didn't know it. They're landing, too, and we can go right aboard.”
The groaning ceased and there was a labored movement among the briars.
Presently Horatio crept out, very much crestfallen, and picked up the violin, which in his haste he had dropped.
”Bo,” he said, sheepishly, ”I never told you about it before, but I am subject to fits. I had one just then. They come on suddenly that way.
All my family have them and act strangely at times. I'm sure you don't think for a moment that I was frightened just now.”
[Ill.u.s.tration: HE FELL HEADLONG.]
”Oh, no, of course not. You merely picked out that briar patch as a good place to have a fit in. Do you always think the world's coming to an end when you are taken that way?”
”We'll go right aboard, Bo; you are a little timid, no doubt, so I'll lead the way.” And Horatio stepped out briskly toward the lights and voices and the landing steamer.
A few steps brought them out to the river bank and a full view of the boat that had crept silently around a bend to the woodyard, where it was halting to take on fuel. The gang plank had not been pushed out to the bank as yet, but a white ray of light shot from a small window to the dark sh.o.r.e and looked exactly like a narrow board. The boy and the Bear were both deceived by it, and Horatio in his eagerness to show his bravery did not pause to investigate.
”Take the fiddle, Bo,” he said, loftily, ”and I'll show you how to get on a boat. You should always be brave, Bosephus.”
Bosephus took the instrument and Horatio, with arms extended as a balance, stepped straight out into nothing and vanished. There was a sudden splash, a growl, a scrambling sound in the shallow water and Horatio's head appeared above the bank. Bosephus, at first frightened, was now doubled with laughter.
”Oh, Ratio,” he gasped, ”how funny of you to try to walk on a moonbeam!”
Horatio shook himself and sniffed angrily. A wide gang plank was now being lowered from the boat, and as it touched the bank the boy stepped quickly aboard, followed by the wet, shambling Bear.
”Oh, there was an Old Bear on a dark, dark night, Who tried to walk on a beam of light,”
sang Bo, as he crossed the plank,
”But the beam wouldn't hold and the Bear broke through, And now Horatio follows, as Horatio ought to do.”
”h.e.l.lo!” called a voice. ”Where did you come from?”
Bo looked up and saw a brawny man with a group of wondering negroes behind him.
”We are travelling,” said Bo, ”and we want to go down the river. We can pay our way and will make music for you, too.”
”Good boy,” said the mate. ”Go right up and report to the clerk, then come back down here, and after we get this wood loaded we'll give you some supper and you can give us a show.”
On the upper deck the few pa.s.sengers gathered around and made much of the arrivals. All asked questions at once, and Bo answered as best he could. Horatio kept silent--he never talked except when he was alone with Bo. The boy kept his hand on the Bear's head, and when the boat backed away and puffed down stream he felt his big friend tremble, but a little later, when they had had a good supper, Ratio's fear pa.s.sed off, and on the lower deck, where all hands collected, the friends gave an entertainment that not only won for them free pa.s.sage down the river, but a good collection besides. It was far in the night when the performance ended. The officers, pa.s.sengers and crew kept calling for more, and the travellers were anxious to accommodate them. The negroes went wild over the music, and patted and danced crazily whenever Horatio played. Finally Bo sang a good night song:--
[Ill.u.s.tration: Music]
”Now, we've had a lot of music, and we've had some supper, too, And we're sailing down the river in a little steam canoe,
[Ill.u.s.tration: Music]
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