"
"I didn't know Tom Ross had sech a gift o' gab," said Shif'less Sol. "He
stirs me all up, he makes me want to hev some lady buy a ship fur me an'
start me out to discoverin' continents. Do you think, Paul, thar's any
lady who would sell her earrings an' finger rings fur me ez that Spanish
one did fur Columbus?"
"But think, Sol, what a chance you've got whether there is or not," said
Henry Ware. "America is discovered but not much of it is explored. There's
enough here to keep you roaming about for the next fifty or sixty years."
"That's so," said the shiftless one brightening up. "What am I growlin'
about, when here's a river, mebbe ten thousand miles long that we know
next to nothin' 'bout, an' buffalers an' b'ars an' panthers an' deer to
shoot, an' red Injuns to fight ez long ez I live. After all, we're shorely
mighty lucky to live at the time we do, ez I've said before. Do you think
thar'll ever be any times hereafter as interestin' ez ourn, Paul?"
"I can't say," replied Paul with a smile, "but they're not likely to be as
interesting to us."
They went on their way, and the air became still warmer. Moreover, it
grew heavy and oppressive, and the spring rains were resumed with great
violence. They had worked meanwhile on their tarpaulin, enlarging and
strengthening it with skins which they had allowed to dry on the boat, and
they rested, sheltered and secure, as they floated along.
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