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The fellow said he had gone over once on a raft, when the water was much higher. "An' would yeou b'lieve it," he added, "one o' them 'ere wimmen were boun' an' determined tew come wuth us." "Did she go?" asked Paul. "Neow yeou jus' bet she did." "Well, how did she act?" "I'll tell yeou straanger. I tol' her tew go astern an' hol' on hard tew th' stake.
In an instant some half a dozen of them sprang into the boat; the brig's gangway was opened, and the boat's crew were somewhat sullenly assisted up the side of the brig and on to her deck. The black-bearded man met them as they came up the side, and held out his hand to Captain Staunton. "Morning, straanger," he repeated. "I'm powerful glad to see you all." "Thank you," returned the skipper.
"Great etarnal jeehosophat, straanger; I wouldn't a shot yer 'fur two dollars an' a half, I wouldn't, by golly, fur I'm loaded bang up ter th' muzzle with slugs fur geese. It were a narry escape fur me."
Sometimes the cow swung round her white face and looked at Dan, sometimes she lashed him gently with her tail. Ned leaned against the stall post and watched. "Thot's t' road, thot's t' road. Yo're the foorst straanger she a' let milk 'er. She's a narvous cow. 'Er teats is tander." When the milking was done Dan put on his well-fitting coat and they went home over Karva to the schoolhouse lane.
I saluted him very politely, remarking that I presumed he was a surveyor, to which he replied, "I reckon, stranger, I ar that thar individoal." He seemed struck with astonishment, took his compass from his back and laid it upon a log near by, then facing me, and pointing with his hand toward it, said, "Straanger, do yer see that thar instru-ment?" to which I replied in the affirmative.
All thets left of my farm is on this ere boat an' I don't reckon its goin' to cost me much trouble to take care of it an' locate anywhare outside of this country. This ere cantankerous river has done me up, done me up brown, straanger." "It is a curious sort of river." "Cur'ous! Wall, I should snicker, Cur'ous ain't no name for it.
Whenever a person on the bank could speak to him he was invariably warned of the Fifteen Mile Falls. "Look Bout, straanger, fur them 'ere Fifteen Mile Falls. They'll jus' squeeze yeou sure'n daylight," was almost always the style of warning. Paul hauled up to question one man who looked like a waterman, concerning the falls.
He continued, "I've owned her well-nigh goin on twenty year. I've put her through the perarries and through the timber, and now look yeer, straanger, you can just bet your life on't she never var-ried arry time, and if you'll just follow her sign you'll knock the centre outer the north star. She never lies, she don't."
I think God Almighty built her all right enough, but I don't think He's made up His mind whar to locate her yit. She's running wild, straanger; she's runnin' wild." He leaned back against a worn mattress with a melancholy sigh and his boat dropped astern. The next day was dark and gloomy and Paul felt an unaccountable falling of spirits.
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