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Updated: July 21, 2025
"I came back to prove that I didn't rob the mail." "I guess you can't prove that." "I guess I can." "How long has Clarence been in Riverport?" "Three days." "Why don't he come up to Torrentville and see the folks?" "He's coming. We were waiting in Riverport to see a gentleman first," I answered.
It had been his plan to start for New York early in August, and to return to New Orleans by the way of the West in October, taking Flora and me with him. Our unexpected arrival changed his purpose. In the course of a week it was arranged that we should go to Torrentville at once, and Mr. Goodridge and his daughter were to accompany us.
He lived with a farmer by the name of Barkspear, who had the reputation of being the stingiest man in Torrentville, if not in the county. Sim was a great, stout, bow-legged fellow, as good-natured as the day was long. He always looked as though he had recently escaped from the rag-bag, with its odds and ends sticking to him.
Day after day went by; and our course continued past Vicksburg, Natchez, Grand Gulf, Baton Rouge, till, on the thirteenth day from Cairo, and on the twenty-third from Torrentville, we came in sight of the spires of New Orleans. The sun was just setting as we came abreast of the dense piles of houses.
Captain Fishley swore that I brought the mail up to Torrentville, and Ham that he had seen me counting what appeared to be a large sum of money, on the night when the letter should have arrived, according to the testimony of the postmaster at Riverport, who distinctly remembered the address.
One of these men seized the boat, and the other, in whom I recognized Stevens, the constable from Torrentville, grasped me by the collar, and dragged me out of the boat to the shore. "We have got you at last," said the officer. "Hookie!" shouted Sim, as he stood up in the boat gazing at me, with his eyes distended, and his mouth wide open. My tyrants had me again.
Though he had always been overbearing and tyrannical in his demeanor towards me; though he had taken a mean and cowardly advantage of me that evening; though he was a young man whom I could not like, yet I had lived in the same house with him for several years, and known him ever since I came to Torrentville. I did not wish anything so bad to come upon him as that he was bringing upon himself.
I am proud of you, Buck; but I wish you were well out of this Torrentville scrape." That worried him; and, indeed, it worried me, after I had heard so much said about it. If I had understood the matter as well in the time of it as I did afterwards, doubtless I should not have trusted to flight for safety, but faced my accusers.
"Shall you return to Torrentville again?" he asked, after walking across the room two or three times, apparently to quiet his emotions. "No, sir, I think not." "Wherever you go, young man, I shall be your friend, with my money and my influence." "Thank you, sir."
"Well, Buck, I am willing to grant that you are a hero," said Clarence, good-naturedly; "and you have done things for which I should have been slow to give you the credit, if the facts were not fully attested by all these witnesses. So you have made a voyage from Torrentville to New Orleans on a raft?" "I have, and brought Flora with me."
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