"
Father Montigny shook his head.
"It is a kind offer," he replied, "but I cannot accept it. I leave you
to-morrow at the mouth of a river on our right as we descend. There is a
small village of peaceful Indians several miles up that stream and I wish
to stay with them a day or two. I and my canoe have traveled many
thousands of miles together and we will continue."
They would have repeated the offer, but they saw that he was not to be
moved and they talked of other things. The rest was, in truth, welcome to
all, as the labors and dangers of the night had been a severe strain upon
their nerves and strength, and they luxuriated before the fire while the
peaceful day passed. Henry noticed that the water was still rising, and
that the mass of floating debris was also increasing.
"It's been a tremendous rain," he said, "and it's extended far up. It must
have been raining on all the great rivers that run into the Mississippi on
either side, away off there in the north. It's going to be a mighty big
flood, and this hill itself will go under."
"You're right," said Shif'less Sol. "It's a mighty big river any time but
is shorely gittin' to be like a sea now."
They walked back to the little party by the fire. The day had considerable
coolness in it after the rain, and the warmth was still welcome.
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