We didn't say a word for a good while. There warn't anything to say. We both knowed well enough it was some more work of the rattlesnake-skin; so what was the use to talk about it? It would only look like we was finding fault, and that would be bound to fetch more bad luck-and keep on fetching it, too, till we knowed enough to keep still.
By and by we talked about what we better do, and found there warn't no way but just to go along down with the raft till we got a chance to buy a canoe to go back in. We warn't going to borrow it when there warn't anybody around, the way pap would do, for that might set people after us.
So we shoved out after dark on the raft.
Anybody that don't believe yet that it's foolishness to handle a snake-skin, after all that that snake-skin done for us, will believe it now if they read on and see what more it done for us.
The place to buy canoes is off of rafts laying up at shore. But we didn't see no rafts laying up; so we went along during three hours and more. Well, the night got gray and ruther thick, which is the next meanest thing to fog. You can't tell the shape of the river, and you can't see no distance. It got to be very late and still, and then along comes a steamboat up the river. We lit the lantern, and judged she would see it. Up-stream boats didn't generly come close to us; they go out and follow the bars and hunt for easy water under the reefs; but nights like this they bull right up the channel against the whole river.
We could hear her pounding along, but we didn't see her good till she was close. She aimed right for us. Often they do that and try to see how close they can come without touching; sometimes the wheel bites off a sweep, and then the pilot sticks his head out and laughs, and thinks he's mighty smart. Well, here she comes, and we said she was going to try and shave us; but she didn't seem to be sheering off a bit. She was a big one, and she was coming in a hurry, too, looking like a black cloud with rows of glow-worms around it; but all of a sudden she bulged out, big and scary, with a long row of wide-open furnace doors shining like red-hot teeth, and her monstrous bows and guards hanging right over us. There was a yell at us, and a jingling of bells to stop the engines, a powwow of cussing, and whistling of steam-and as Jim went overboard on one side and I on the other, she come smashing straight through the raft.
I dived-and I aimed to find the bottom, too, for a thirty-foot wheel had got to go over me, and I wanted it to have plenty of room. I could always stay under water a minute; this time I reckon I stayed under a minute and a half. Then I bounced for the top in a hurry, for I was nearly busting. I popped out to my armpits and blowed the water out of my nose, and puffed a bit. Of course there was a booming current; and of course that boat started her engines again ten seconds after she stopped them, for they never cared much for raftsmen; so now she was churning along up the river, out of sight in the thick weather, though I could hear her.
I sung out for Jim about a dozen times, but I didn't get any answer; so I grabbed a plank that touched me while I was «treading water,» and struck out for shore, shoving it ahead of me. But I made out to see that the drift of the current was towards the left-hand shore, which meant that I was in a crossing; so I changed off and went that way.
It was one of these long, slanting, two-mile crossings; so I was a good long time in getting over. I made a safe landing, and clumb up the bank. I couldn't see but a little ways, but I went poking along over rough ground for a quarter of a mile or more, and then I run across a big old-fashioned double log-house before I noticed it. I was going to rush by and get away, but a lot of dogs jumped out and went to howling and barking at me, and I knowed better than to move another peg.
CHAPTER XVII.
IN about a minute somebody spoke out of a window without putting his head out, and says:
«Be done, boys! Who's there?»
I says:
«It's me.»
«Who's me?»
«George Jackson, sir.»
«What do you want?»
«I don't want nothing, sir. I only want to go along by, but the dogs won't let me.»
«What are you prowling around here this time of night for-hey?»
«I warn't prowling around, sir, I fell overboard off of the steamboat.»
«Oh, you did, did you? Strike a light there, somebody. What did you say your name was?»
«George Jackson, sir. I'm only a boy.»
«Look here, if you're telling the truth you needn't be afraid-nobody'll hurt you. But don't try to budge; stand right where you are. Rouse out Bob and Tom, some of you, and fetch the guns. George Jackson, is there anybody with you?»
«No, sir, nobody.»
I heard the people stirring around in the house now, and see a light. The man sung out:
«Snatch that light away, Betsy, you old fool-ain't you got any sense? Put it on the floor behind the front door. Bob, if you and Tom are ready, take your places.»
«All ready.»
«Now, George Jackson, do you know the Shepherdsons?»
«No, sir; I never heard of them.»
«Well, that may be so, and it mayn't. Now, all ready. Step forward, George Jackson. And mind, don't you hurry-come mighty slow. If there's anybody with you, let him keep back-if he shows himself he'll be shot. Come along now. Come slow; push the door open yourself-just enough to squeeze in, d' you hear?»
I didn't hurry; I couldn't if I'd a wanted to. I took one slow step at a time and there warn't a sound, only I thought I could hear my heart. The dogs were as still as the humans, but they followed a little behind me. When I got to the three log doorsteps I heard them unlocking and unbarring and unbolting. I put my hand on the door and pushed it a little and a little more till somebody said, «There, that's enough-put your head in.» I done it, but I judged they would take it off.
The candle was on the floor, and there they all was, looking at me, and me at them, for about a quarter of a minute: Three big men with guns pointed at me, which made me wince, I tell you; the oldest, gray and about sixty, the other two thirty or more-all of them fine and handsome
—and the sweetest old gray-headed lady, and back of her two young women which I couldn't see right well. The old gentleman says:
«There; I reckon it's all right. Come in.»
As soon as I was in the old gentleman he locked the door and barred it and bolted it, and told the young men to come in with their guns, and they all went in a big parlor that had a new rag carpet on the floor, and got together in a corner that was out of the range of the front windows
—there warn't none on the side. They held the candle, and took a good look at me, and all said, «Why, HE ain't a Shepherdson-no, there ain't any Shepherdson about him.» Then the old man said he hoped I wouldn't mind being searched for arms, because he didn't mean no harm by it-it was only to make sure. So he didn't pry into my pockets, but only felt outside with his hands, and said it was all right. He told me to make myself easy and at home, and tell all about myself; but the old lady says:
«Why, bless you, Saul, the poor thing's as wet as he can be; and don't you reckon it may be he's hungry?»
«True for you, Rachel-I forgot.»
So the old lady says:
«Betsy» (this was a nigger woman), «you fly around and get him something to eat as quick as you can, poor thing; and one of you girls go and wake up Buck and tell him-oh, here he is himself. Buck, take this little stranger and get the wet clothes off from him and dress him up in some of yours that's dry.»
Buck looked about as old as me-thirteen or fourteen or along there, though he was a little bigger than me. He hadn't on anything but a shirt, and he was very frowzy-headed. He came in gaping and digging one fist into his eyes, and he was dragging a gun along with the other one. He says:
«Ain't they no Shepherdsons around?»
They said, no, 'twas a false alarm.
«Well,» he says, «if they'd a ben some, I reckon I'd a got one.»
They all laughed, and Bob says:
«Why, Buck, they might have scalped us all, you've been so slow in coming.»
