And he soon had an opportunity to fight; for no sooner was the first intruder knocked into the water than four others bounded upon the boat. Heavy blows were dealt upon them, until it became a hand-to-hand fight, so that billets could not be used.

"Knock them into the water, Abe," shouted John; and that was just what Abraham was trying to do.

After a severe struggle, lasting some ten minutes, they succeeded in tumbling three of the number into the water, whereupon the fourth made his

escape.

"Come, John, let 's after them on the shore," cried Abraham. And no sooner said than done. Before the last three who were plunged into the water had crawled up the bank, Abraham was pounding two of them on the shore with his club. The first one whom he knocked into the water had reached the bank, and he fled from his antagonist as he would have done from a tiger. And by the time the other three crawled out of their cold bath, the two boys had driven the four on shore away at the top of their speed.

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ham.

Here, John, give it to these," exclaimed Abra

And they pounced upon the three crawling out of the water, dealing heavy blows upon them before they had time to rally upon the bank. The negroes

were thoroughly terrified at their unexpected reception. They had not counted upon the strength and courage of the two young boatmen. They supposed it would be an easy matter for seven of them to make way with two youth like them, and then rob the boat. But the young men saw that it was a case of life and death, and they fought with desperation. They had no doubt that the negroes meant to murder them, and then rob them and the boat, and they fought accordingly. Abraham's strength was almost superhuman on the occasion, and the negroes were badly bruised and maimed by his blows. They were armed with clubs, and they laid them upon Abraham and John so as to injure them considerably. But the latter came out of the battle victorious. The negroes escaped as best they could. "Are you hurt much, John?" inquired Abraham.

"No great; got a few hard knocks. How is it with you?"

"Lamed my arm; one of 'em hit me a cut across my right eye, too. But I have no fault to find, since we saved our necks."

"We must get the boat off now as quick as possible," said John, "or they 'll be back with twice their number."

"I thought of that; you jump aboard, and I will untie the boat. We must lose no time, neither." In a minute John was aboard, and scarcely an

N

other minute had passed before Abraham followed him, having loosed the boat.

"We are safe now, if the whole plantation comes," said John, as they shoved off into the

stream.

"We sha'n't need to go far," added Abraham. "Only change our position, and we are safe." “That may be, but I think I shall sleep with my eyes open the rest of the night."

"And I will keep you company," responded Abraham. "The next time I come to New Orleans, I shall come armed. This going to war without a gun is not quite the thing."

"I wish we had been armed," said John. "Wouldn't we made the feathers fly?"

"The wool, you mean," replied Abraham, jocosely. He had become as cool as if nothing had happened.

"They meant to kill us."

"Of course they did. It would n't have done for them to rob us, and leave us to tell the story to their master. But they might have made way with us, and robbed and sunk the boat, and nobody been any the wiser for it."

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"They are no fools, if they be niggers."

"No; but after all they are not so much to blame as their masters," added Abraham. "Slavery has robbed them of everything, and so I s'pose they think it is fair play to take what they can get."

They succeeded in selling their cargo well, and returned in safety to Indiana. The venturesome enterprise for two such youth turned out a capital thing, and when their narrow escape was known, the trip on the flat-boat was talked of as a wonderful expedition, and Abraham received the credit of being a good boatman, manager, salesman, as well as a courageous defender of number one. The success was ascribed to his tact, judgment, fidelity, and force of character.

XVIII.

REMOVAL TO ILLINOIS.

NOON after Abraham's trip to New Orleans, the most glowing accounts of the fertility of the prairie lands of Illinois began to spread in the older States. They reached the Lincoln family early, and the father began to talk of moving. From month to month the news from Illinois concerning the richness and productiveness of the soil grew more and more interesting, and a tide of emigration at once set towards that State. Mr. Lincoln became desirous of moving thither himself, and Abraham was earnest to go. Accordingly, for the purpose of ascertaining the exact truth of the matter, and selecting a good location to settle, Dennis Hanks, a relative of Abraham's step-mother, was delegated to proceed to Illinois on a tour of investigation. Lincoln did not wish to move without knowing more of the country than he could gather from rumor.

It was two years after the aforesaid news from Illinois reached the Lincoln family before they were ready to move. The journey of Hanks thither fully confirmed all they had heard, and this decided the