Good-bye."
One of the brass cannon fired a salute, cannon on the fort and the
galleon, Dona Isabel, replied. Adam Colfax gave the word, and at the same
instant hundreds of oars and paddles dipped into the muddy current of the
Mississippi. The great supply fleet leaped forward as if it were one
whole, and soon New Orleans and its intrigues sank under the curve behind
them.
Henry and Paul, although they did not have to work, pulled at the oars
with the others, and more than one man noticed how the mighty muscles of
Henry Ware's arm swelled and bunched as he made the boat leap forward. But
they did not maintain their high rate of speed long. As the rivers ran it
was a good two thousand miles to Fort Pitt, and they did not wish to
exhaust themselves on the first twenty. Long Jim at last let his oar rest
and patted Paul joyfully on the shoulder.
"Ain't you noticed nothin', Paul?" he asked.
"I've noticed a lot of river, and a fine little fleet on it."
"But somethin' better than that. Look at the trees, Paul, all along on
either side, an' not a house in sight, an' not a human bein' 'cept
ourselves, not a single trail uv smoke to dirty the sky. Nothin' but the
woods ez God made 'em. I tell you, Paul, it's pow'ful fine jest to live!"
Paul shared his enthusiasm, but his feelings went further.
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