Arkansaw Bear: A Tale of Fanciful Adventure Read online

  CHAPTER VI

  AN EXCITING RACE

  "Sailing down the river so early in the morn, Sailing down the river so early in the morn, Sailing down the river so early in the morn, Never was so happy since the day that I was born."

  THE boat on which Horatio and Bosephus had taken their passage made nolandings during the night, and the little boy and the big Bear sleptsoundly on the deck together. Rather too soundly, as will be seen later.At daybreak the next morning Bosephus was wide awake, singing softly andwatching through the mist the queer forms of the cypress trees, with thelong Spanish moss swinging from the limbs. Horatio, hearing the singing,rubbed his eyes and sat up. He had never been so far South before, sothe scenery was new to both of them, and when they came to open spacesand saw that the shores were only a few inches higher than the river andthat fields of waving green came right to the water's edge they wereboth pleased and surprised at this new world. The climate had changed,too, and the air was warm and spring-like.

  "I tell you, Bo," said Horatio grandly, "there's nothing like travel.You're a lucky boy, Bo, to fall in with me. Why, the way you've come outin the last few months is wonderful. Of course, there is a good deal ofroom yet for improvement, and there are still some things that you arerather timid of, but when I remember how you looked the first minute Isaw you, and then to see the sociable way you sit up and talk to me now,you really don't seem like the same boy, Bosephus, you really don't."

  The little boy leaned up close to his companion.

  "Oh, there was a little boy and his name was Bo,"

  he sang softly, remembering their first meeting.

  "Went out into the woods when the moon was low,"

  added the Bear, strumming lightly the strings of the violin.

  "And he met an Old Bear that was hungry for a snack, And the folks are still awaiting for Bosephus to come back."

  they continued together in a half whisper.

  "Ratio," said the little boy, confidentially, "did you really intendto--to have me--you know, Ratio--for--for supper until I taught you thetune? Did you, Ratio?"

  Horatio gazed away across a broad cane field, where the first streak ofsunrise was beginning to show.

  "For the boy became the teacher of the kind and gentle creature Who could play upon the fiddle in a very skilful way,"

  he sang dreamily, and then both together once more:--

  "Now he'll never, never leave him, and he'll never, never grieve him, And we're singing here together at the break--of--day."

  "This is very pleasant travelling," commented Horatio thoughtfully. "Itbeats walking, at least for speed and comfort. Of course, there are anumber of places we cannot reach by boat," he added, regretfully.

  "Not in Southern Louisiana, Ratio. I've heard that there's a regulartangle of rivers and bayous all over the country, and that boats goeverywhere."

  Horatio looked pleased.

  "Aren't you glad now, Bo," he said proudly, "that I proposed this boatbusiness? I have always wanted to travel this way. I was afraid at firstthat you might not take to it very well, and when that whistle blewlast night I could see that you were frightened. It was unfortunate thatI should have had a fit just then or I might have calmed you. You sawhow anxious I was to go aboard. Of course, in being over brave I made aslight mistake. I am always that way. All my family are. One reallyought to be less reckless about some things, but somehow none of myfamily ever knew what fear was. We----"

  But just then the boat concluded to land, and the morning stillness wastorn into shreds by its frightful whistle. Horatio threw up both handsand fell backward on the deck, where he lay pawing the air wildly. Thenhe stuffed his paws into his ears and howled as he kicked with his hindfeet. Bo stood over him and shouted that there was no danger, but hisvoice made no sound in that awful thunder. All at once Horatio sprang upand jammed his head under Bo's arm, trembling like a jellyfish. Then thenoise stopped, and with one or two more hoarse shouts ceased entirely.

  "It's all right, Ratio, come out!" said Bo, trying to stop laughing.

  Horatio felt of his ears a moment to see that they were still there,while he looked skittishly in the direction of the dreadful whistle andstarted violently at the quick snorts of the escaping steam.

  "Bo," he said faintly, "do all boats do that?"

  "Oh, yes! Some worse than others. This one isn't very bad."

  "I'm sorry, Bo, for it is a great drawback to travel where one issubject to fits as I am. It seems to bring them on. And it is not kindof you to laugh at my affliction, either, Bosephus," he added, for Bohad dropped down on the deck, where he was rolling and holding hissides.

  HE STUFFED HIS PAWS INTO HIS EARS.]

  All at once the boy lay perfectly still. Then he sprang up with everybit of laugh gone out of his face. His left hand grasped the outside ofhis jacket, while with his right hand he dived down into the insidepocket like mad. The Bear watched him anxiously.

  "What is it, Bo? Have you got one, too?" he asked.

  "Horatio!" gasped the boy. "Our money! It's gone!"

  "Gone! Gone! Where?"

  "Stolen. Some of those niggers did it while we were asleep!"

  The Bear reflected a moment. Then he said thoughtfully:--

  "Do you suppose, Bo, it was that nice fat one?"

  "I shouldn't wonder a bit. I saw him watch every penny I took in lastnight."

  Horatio licked out his tongue eagerly.

  "Could I have him if it was?" he asked hungrily.

  "Have him! How?" said Bo. Then he shuddered. "Oh! no, not that way--ofcourse not. But I'll tell you, Ratio," he added, "we'll make him believethat you can, and frighten him into giving up the money."

  Horatio frowned.

  "I don't like make-believes," he grumbled. "Can't we let the money gothis time and not have any make-believe?"

  "Not much--we want that money right now, before the boat lands; thenwe'll go ashore and get out of such a crowd. Come, Ratio."

  No one was stirring on the upper deck as yet, but the crew was collectedbelow where the second mate was shouting orders as the boat swung slowlyinto the bank. They boy and Bear dashed down the stairs.

  "OUR MONEY! IT IS GONE!"]

  "Wait!" shouted Bo to the officer. "Somebody on this boat last nightstole our money, and I want my Bear to find him. It won't take but aminute, for he can tell a thief at sight when he's mad and hungry, andhe's mad now, and hungry for dark meat!" The boy looked straight intothe crowd of negroes, while the Bear growled fiercely and fixed his eyeon the fat darky.

  The crew fell back and the fat darky with a howl started to run.

  "That's the one! That's the thief!" shouted Bo, and with a snarl Horatiobounded away in pursuit. Down the narrow gangway to the stern of theboat, then in a circle around a lot of cotton, they ran like mad, theBear getting closer to the negro every minute. Then back again to thebow in a straight stretch, the thief blue with fright and Horatio's eyesshining with hungry anticipation. The rest of the crew looked on andcheered. Suddenly, as the fat darky passed Bo, he jerked a sack from hispocket and flung it behind him.

  "Dar's yo' money! Dar's yo' money!" he shouted. "Call off yo' B'ar!"

  But that was not so easy. Bosephus shouted frantically at Horatio, buthe did not seem to hear. His blood was up, and his taste for dark meatwas stronger than his love of money. As the two came clattering aroundthe second time he was so close to his prey that with a quick swipe hegot quite a piece of his shirt. With a wild yell the fat fugitive leapedover into the river and struck out for shore.

  Horatio paused. His half open jaws were dripping and his eyes red andfiery with disappointment. Bo went up to him gently.

  "Come, Ratio," he whispered.

  The Bear paid no heed. He was watching his escaped prey, who had reachedthe shore and was disappearing in a great canefield.

  THE FAT FUGITIVE LEAPED OVER INTO THE RIVER.]

  "Come!" Bo whispered again. "We'll go ashore, too."

/>   Horatio wheeled eagerly. The gangplank was being lowered, and he hurriedBo out on it, so that when it touched the bank he was all ready to givechase again.

  "No, wait; some music first," said Bo. "I have thought of some new linesfor the second part of the tune."

  For a moment Horatio hesitated. Then the temptation of the music wasstronger even than his appetite, and, throwing his violin into position,he began to play. The passengers, roused by the excitement, had gatheredon the upper deck. The crew coming ashore below paused to listen.

  Music]

  "Oh! there was a fat darky with an appetite for wealth, And the only way to get it was to capture it by stealth,

  Music]

  But when it came to keep it, his chances were so small, He concluded that he really didn't care for it at all.

  Music]

  For we placed him and we faced him, and my bear Horatio chased him-- In a manner most surprising he pursued him to and fro--

  Music]

  And we hope we do not grieve you, but we feel that we must leave you, For the Southern sun is rising, and we're bound--to--go."

  The crew cheered and the passengers on the upper deck shouted and wavedtheir handkerchiefs.

  "Don't go!" they called. "Don't leave us!" But the friends turned theirfaces to the East and set out on a broad white road that led away to thesunrise.