"Too much, cap'n-say two-fifty?"

"No! three hundred-look at the risk!" "Oh, hang the risk!"

"Besides, it hurts the repitation of the boat."

"Say you'll take two-seventy!"

"No! the even three hundred.

अच

I'll take you through as slick as goose grease-I've said it, and by I'll do it, in spite of all.” "Well, I suppose you must have it—here; you'll find me in Willis's Woods, ten miles below. What time will you be down?"

By ten in the morning, or a leetle after."
Very well, I'll wait for you."

So saying, the Colonel walked off, and I saw no more of him until he became my fellow passenger at Willis's Woods.

From what I had heard and seen, I concluded that he had found the "Rock" a little too hot for him. All this, however, was no business of mine; and getting as far from the furnace as I could, I sat down by the after guard, determined upon making myself as comfortable as circumstances would permit. The excessive heat had made me drowsy, and I soon fell fast asleep.

"They are comin', captin! they're comin'! By that's old Waley on the grey! I

could tell him ten miles off!"

These words, with an unusual running to and fro over the boat, awoke me from my nap, and on starting up and looking towards the shore, I beheld about a dozen horsemen coming at full gallop down the bank of the river, and apparently endeavouring to overtake the boat. They were mostly dressed in jean coats, with broad-brimmed white hats, and each of them balanced upon his left shoulder about six feet of a Kentucky rifle. They were the sheriff and his posse in pursuit of a runaway defaulter, who was supposed to be on board the "Branch."

"What's to be done, cap'n?" inquired the Colonel, evidently alarmed at the approach of the sheriff's party,

"Done! why nothing! Do you s'pose I'm goin' to let that party stop my boat?" "But they may fire upon you!"

"Let them fire and be hang'd! Didn't I expect all that? Here, Bill! Nick! get out the muskets, and make ready to handle 'em! Look out, passengers! go to larboard and get behind the cabin! Now, Nettles, keep her close to the bank, and give 'em a wide berth! Do you hear?"

Not having any ambition to be killed in the quarrel of an Arkansas defaulter, I took the captain's hint and got behind the cabin,

where I found most of my fellow passengers already assembled. We had hardly ensconced ourselves in a safe corner, when the voice of "Old Waley" roared out from the shore

"Stop the boat, or we'll fire into her! " "Fire and be hang'd!" was the captain's reply.

He had hardly uttered the words, when a bullet was heard crashing through the glass top of the wheel-house. I could not help thinking that Mr. Nettles, the pilot, was placed in rather a nettlish position, but it appeared afterwards that the lower part of the wheel-house was lined with strong sheetiron, and was bullet proof. Whether this precaution had been taken in anticipation of such skirmishes, I never learnt; at all events, it was useful in the present emergency, as Mr. Nettles in a crouching position could sufficiently manage the boat, while he was sheltered from the shot to all intents and purposes.

Bang!-spang!-whiz! and several bullets came crashing through the slight framework of the cabin-windows; some struck the wheel-house, while others glanced upon the iron chimneys, causing them to ring and vibrate.

But our captain, upon his side, was not idle, and a volley of musketry from the crew sent two or three of the sheriff's officers sprawling upon the bank.

In this way a running fire was kept up for several miles-the boat going at the top of her speed-while the sheriff and his posse kept pace with her, galloping along the bank, loading and firing in their stirrups.

Victory, however, declared for our captain, for the river gradually widened, and as the boat was kept closer to the larboard bank, the rifle bullets fell far short of their mark. Seeing this, the pursuing party were reluctantly compelled to halt, expressing in their looks and gestures the highest degree of anger and mortification.

"Come, boys," shouted the captain, "give them a last volley and a cheer!"

A volley of musketry was followed by loud cheering from every part of the little boat, in which even the passengers joined, so exciting is the cheer of victory, even in a bad cause.

"Now, Kernel," cried the captain, "I've got you out of a tarnal scrape-ten thousand at least—so we expect you to stand treat for all hands! Hurrah! bring on the licker!"

XV.

THE WAY OLD BILL WENT OFF.

FATHER WILLIAM, or, as he was familiarly known, "Old Bill," was an early settler "out West." He left the old North State when young, and settled in a choice spot, near one of our little streams. He He grew and prospered, and not many years after he was married, and from that time than he a more influential personage could not be found. 'He was Justice of the Peace, held two or three posts of honour, and could knock daylight out of a turkey's eye two hundred yards with his favourite gun. I remember several of his exploits in shooting; and one of them would not be out of place here. I heard it from "Old Bill" himself. He had a fine young horse once, he said, stolen from his stable, and he set out to overtake the thief, taking his favourite piece along for company.