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Updated: July 24, 2025
The following morning the big mission boat and Missy Nelia's boat landed in at Memphis wharf, and the three went up town to buy groceries, newspapers and magazines to read, and to help Nelia choose another set of books from the shelves of local book stores. Old Rasba had never been in a book store before, and he stared at the hundreds of feet of shelves, with books of all sizes, kinds, and makes.
A lank, stoop-shouldered woman emerged from the craft and fixed the well-favoured young woman with keen, bright eyes. "You-all know if there's a shanty-boat here for sale cheap?" Nelia asked, without eagerness. The woman looked at the bank, reflectively. "I expect," she admitted at last.
Nelia could have remained there indefinitely, but restlessness was in her mind, as long as she had so much money on board her little shanty-boat. Disbon knew so many tales of river piracy that she saw the wisdom of settling her possessions, either at Cairo or Memphis, whichever should prove best.
There was no doubt of it. Nelia had been there, but no one had happened to think to tell Carline about it. She had landed in a pretty shanty-boat, the wharf-master said, and had pulled out just before a river man in a brick-red cabin-boat of small size had left the eddy.
Of course, taking care of two children on a shanty-boat was a good deal of work and some worry, for one or the other was always falling overboard, but since they had learned to swim it hadn't been so bad, and they could take care of themselves. "You all alone?" Mrs. Disbon asked. "I'm alone," Nelia admitted, having told her name as Nelia Crele. "Well, I don't know as I blame you," Mrs.
"But but you're a woman!" Rasba exclaimed. "Suppose a mean man came aboard your boat, and and tried to rob you," Nelia asked, level voiced, "what would you do?" "Why, course, I'd I'd likely stop him." "You'd throw him overboard?" "Well if hit were clost to the bank an' he could swim, I mout." Nelia and the Caopes laughed aloud, and Rasba joined in the merriment.
Caope cried, wrapping her arms around the young woman as she stepped down to the sand, and kissing her. "How is yo' maw?" "Very well, indeed!" Nelia laughed, clinging to the big river woman's hand. "I'm so glad to find someone I know!" "You'll know us all d'rectly. Hyar's my man, Mr. Caope real nice feller, too, if I do say hit an' hyar's Mrs. Dobstan an' her two darters, an' this is Mr.
After they had eaten, they went from the kitchen into the sitting room, where Rasba turned to Nelia. "You came down the river alone?" he asked. "Yes," she admitted. "I wonder you wouldn't be scairt up of it nights, and those lonesome bends?" "It's better than some other things." Nelia shook her head. "Besides, you've come alone down the Ohio yourself." He looked at her, and Mrs. Caope chuckled.
Did yo' git shut of that up-the-bank feller yo' married, Nelia?" "I'm alone," the girl laughed, her gaze turning to look at the others, who stood watching. "If yo' git a good man," Mrs. Caope philosophized, "hang on to him. Don't let him git away. But if yo' git somebody that's shif'less an' no 'count, chuck him ovehbo'd. That's what I b'lieve in. Well, I declare!
When Nelia had to go down they parted good friends and Larry thanked her, saying that probably they would meet down below somewhere. "You'll make Caruthersville," Larry told her. "There's a good eddy on the east side across from the town. There's likely some boats in there. They'll know, perhaps, if the folks you are looking for are around. There's an old river man there now, name of Buck.
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