There
were no objects in sight, save those with which he was already only too
familiar. Again he began to doubt the evidence of his senses, and wonder
if his mind had not become somewhat unsettled by his misfortunes. But
no, there was the ringing peal of laughter again. This time it was
accompanied by a strange chattering sound such as he had never heard
before. At the same moment a most delicious whiff of frying bacon
reached the hungry boy, mingled with the unmistakable and equally
enticing odor of coffee. There was no doubt as to the direction from
which these came, and plunging into the cotton-wood thicket, Winn made
his way diagonally up and across the tow-head.
In less than a minute he reached its opposite side, where he halted to
gaze with amazement at the very strangest-looking craft he had ever seen.
At first he thought it a small stern-wheeled steamboat. She certainly
had such a wheel, but then there was no chimney. Perhaps she was a
trading-scow. Who ever heard, though, of a trading-scow with a
pilot-house such as this nondescript craft had on the forward end of its
upper deck? Besides, there were no sweeps, nor was she in the least like
any trading-scow Winn had ever seen. A low house occupied her entire
width, and extended along her whole length except at the curve of her
bows, where there was room left for a small deck.
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