You know a heap more about getting out
bridge timber than I do, while I expect I know more about river rafting
than you do. Not that I'm anything of a raftsman," he added, modestly,
"but I picked up a good bit of knowledge concerning the river while on
that government job down in Arkansas. If you'll only give me the
chance, I'll guarantee to find the raft and navigate it to any port you
may choose to name--Dubuque, St. Louis, Cairo, New Orleans, or even
across the briny--with such a chap as I know your Winn must be for a
mate. When we reach our destination we can telegraph for you, and you
can arrange the sale of the ship and cargo yourself. As for me, I've
had so much of dry land lately that I'm just longing for a home on the
rolling deep, the life of a sailor free, and all that sort of thing.
What do you say? Isn't my scheme a good one?"
"I declare I believe it is!" exclaimed the Major, who had caught a
share of his young kinsman's enthusiasm, and whose face had visibly
brightened during the unfolding of his plans. "Not only that, but I
believe your companionship with Winn on this river trip, and your
example, will be infinitely better for him than mine. I have noticed
that young people are much more apt to be influenced by those only a
few years older than themselves than they are by persons whose ideas
they may regard as antiquated or old-fogyish.
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