"
Whereupon the young engineer told these interested listeners the whole
history of the _Venture_ from the time the raft was put together down
to the present moment. In it he included the _Whatnot_, Cap'n Cod,
Sabella, Solon, Reward, and Don Blossom, Sheriff Riley, the
"river-traders," Clod, Aunt Viney, and, above all, Bim, who barked
loudly, and rushed wildly about the room at this honorable mention of
his name.
When the story was finished, Glen Elting heaved a deep sigh, and said
to Winn, "Well, you have had a good time. I thought we had about the
best times any fellows could have when we crossed the plains with Billy
Brackett last year, but it seems to me that you are having just about
as much fun right here on this muddy old river as we had out there. I
only wish we had a raft." Then turning to Billy Brackett, he asked,
"What are you going to do next?"
"I don't know," was the reply. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm sure I don't know."
"Then lend me your ears. You want to get to New Orleans, and so do we."
"Do we?" interrupted Winn, in surprise, looking up from the book of
travels on the title-page of which his name was written so many times,
and which was the very one he had been reading the last evening he had
spent on this raft.
"You do!" exclaimed both Glen and Binney.
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