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Altsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander), 1862-1919

"The Free Rangers A Story of the Early Days Along the Mississippi"

Salt is shorely mighty helpful in the curin' up uv fresh things."
"There goes another of those canoes," said Paul, "but I can't tell whether
it's a white man or an Indian in it."
"It's a white man," said Henry, "but I fancy it's a West Indian Frenchman
or Spaniard. I've heard that some of them are as dark as Indians."
"Time to think 'bout tyin' up for the dark," said Tom Ross. "We might go
on all night, but we need to save our strength fur to-morrow. What do you
say to that little cove over thar on the west bank, Henry?"
"Looks as if it would be the right place," replied Henry, "and it is
certainly time to stop. The sun seems to go down faster here than it does
In Kentucky."
The twilight was spreading swiftly over the arch from west to east as they
entered the cove and tied "The Galleon" to a live oak. Paul leaped
joyfully ashore, glad to stretch his limbs again. The others quickly
followed, and they set about gathering wood to build a fire. They were out
of the Indian country now and they had no need to be cautious.
Paul bestirred himself looking for brushwood. Presently he found at the
edge of the water a dead bough which was long enough to be broken into
several sticks of convenient length. He picked it up, and for the purpose
of breaking it brought it down heavily on a large brown log lying in the
mud near the water.


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