A "MEWEL" NAMED "REWARD."
It being thus settled that the search for the raft was to be continued,
the Sheriff said: "I wish I could go with you, Mr. Brackett, and see
this affair through; but those fellows are beyond my hunting-ground
now, and I've got important business to attend to up the river. I'll
tell you what I will do, though. I'll appoint you a deputy, and give
you a bit of writing witnessed by a notary, as well as a badge. The
paper will identify you, and state that you are engaged on government
business, which entitles you to official aid wherever you may demand
it. I will also give you samples of the bills those fellows are
circulating. They are fives and tens, and by far the best specimens of
that kind of work I have ever seen. Of course, if you don't catch them
it will be all right; but if you do, perhaps you'll remember old
friends when the reward is paid."
Billy Brackett thanked Mr. Riley, and accepted these friendly offers,
though he afterwards remarked to Winn that as they were searching for a
lost raft, and not for a gang of counterfeiters, he thought it unlikely
that he should ever play the part of Sheriff.
"But you'd try for that reward if you had the chance, wouldn't you?"
asked Winn.
"No, I would not," was the prompt reply. "Man-hunting, and especially
man-hunting for money, is not in my line. It is a duty that Sheriffs
are obliged to perform, but, thank goodness, I am not a Sheriff."
At the conclusion of all these explanations and arrangements, the
entire party adjourned to the _Whatnot_, to which Sabella had already
returned, and where they were to dine, by Cap'n Cod's invitation.
What a good dinner it was, and what a merry one! How Solon, who in a
speckless white apron waited at table, grinned at the praises bestowed
upon his cooking! How they all chaffed each other! Winn was
ironically praised for his success in losing rafts, and the Sheriff for
his in capturing counterfeiters; Cap'n Cod was gravely congratulated
upon the result of his efforts to entertain the public, and even
Sabella was highly praised for her skilful performance on the
hand-organ. With all this banter, Cap'n Cod did not lose sight of the
obligation under which Billy Brackett had placed him the evening
before, and so sincerely regretted that he and Winn were not to
continue their voyage down the river on the _Whatnot_, that the former
finally said:
"Well, sir, if you really want us to, I don't see why we shouldn't
travel with you until we overhaul our raft. I am rather taken with
this show business myself, and have always had a desire to appear on
the stage. As for Winn, and that other young monkey, Don Blossom--"
"All right," laughed Winn. "I'd rather take the part of monkey than of
mule, any day."
"Other young monkey," continued Billy Brackett, gravely, without
noticing this interruption, "we'll hitch them together and exhibit them
as Siamese twins. Oh, I tell you, gentlemen, we'll give a show such as
never was seen on this little old river. I don't suppose this craft is
as fast as some of the larger steamboats, but she can certainly
overtake a raft, and we might just as well have some fun out of the
trip as not."
"But she is not a steamboat," confessed Cap'n Cod.
"Not a steamboat! What is she then, and how do you propel her?"
"She is only a mule-boat, and at present, as we have no mule, we merely
drift with the current."
At this Billy Brackett became thoughtful, and asked to be shown into
the engine-room. He had not appreciated Winn's reference to acting the
part of a mule until now; but at sight of the treadmill, and a sudden
realization of the part his nephew had taken in the performance of the
preceding evening, he laughed until the tears filled his eyes, and the
others laughed in sympathy.
"Oh, Winn, Winn!" he cried. "You'll be the death of me yet! I wonder
if ever an uncle was blessed with such an absurd nephew before?"
"That's all right, Uncle Billy," said Winn; "but you just step in and
work that treadmill for an hour. Then see if you'll laugh. Eh, Solon?"
"No, sah. Ole Solom he don' git in dere no mo'. He gwine strike, he
am, agin dish yer mewel bizness."
"Look here, Winn," said Billy Brackett, when he had recovered his
gravity, "didn't I offer a reward for your discovery?"
"To be sure you did; and I meant to claim it, too. That's what I got
the printer to point out Mr. 'Brickell' for. So I'll take it now, if
you please."
"That is one of the rewards I expected to earn," remarked Cap'n Cod.
"And I wrote to your father for full particulars concerning your
disappearance; but I don't suppose there is any chance for me now, so
long as you have discovered yourself, unless you could make it
convenient to get lost again."
"I was rather expecting to come in for that reward myself," said the
Sheriff.
"While I," said Billy Brackett, "had about concluded that if any one
was entitled to it, it was the young rascal's worthy uncle. But I'll
tell you how we will settle these several claims. Solon here is almost
the only one who has not applied for the reward, though I am convinced
that he is as well entitled to it as any of us. Therefore I am going
to pay it to him--"
At this the old negro's eyes grew wide as saucers. He had never been
possessed of a hundred dollars in his life.
"On condition," continued the young engineer, "that he immediately
invests it in a mule, which he shall offer to our friend Cap'n Cod as a
substitute for himself and Winn in the treadmill. I shall receive my
reward by being permitted to travel on the _Whatnot_ and study for the
stage, while the Sheriff shall be rewarded by being allowed to name the
mule."
Although they all laughed at this scheme and considered, it a good
joke, Billy Brackett was deeply in earnest beneath all his assumed
frivolity. He realized that finding the raft and taking possession of
it were no longer one and the same thing. The fact that it was in the
hands of a gang of men who were at once shrewd and desperate rendered
its recovery an affair requiring all the discretion and skill that he
could command. For the purpose in view, a boat like the _Whatnot_,
with which he could stop when and where he pleased, as well as visit
places unattainable by larger craft, was much better suited than a
steamboat that would only touch at certain fixed points. Then again he
and Winn would be less likely to arouse the suspicion of those whom
they sought if attached to Cap'n Cod's show than if they appeared to
have no definite business or object in view. He calculated that by
using mule-power in the daytime and drifting with the current at night
the _Whatnot_ could be made to reach St. Louis as soon as the raft, and
still allow time for several exhibitions of the panorama on the way.
From the outset he had expected to take the raft at least as far as St.
Louis, and now was perfectly willing that its present crew should have
the labor of navigating it to that point. Thus the plan of travelling
by the _Whatnot_ commended itself strongly to his judgment, besides
proving highly satisfactory to all those interested in it.
Even Bim approved of it, for in addition to showing a decided
appreciation of Sabella's friendship, this intelligent animal evinced a
desire to become more intimately acquainted with Don Blossom, who was
the first of his race he had ever encountered.
The mule selected by Solon, and guaranteed by that expert in mules to
be "a turrible wukker, 'kase I sees hit in he eye," was purchased that
very afternoon, and immediately introduced to the scene of his future
labors.
[Illustration: "The mule was purchased that afternoon."]
Sheriff Riley named him "Reward." Then bidding these strangely found
friends good-bye, and taking his recovered property with him, he
boarded an up-bound steamboat and started for home.
As there was no reason why the others should not also begin their
journey at once, the _Whatnot_ was got under way at the same time, and
headed down the stream.
Cap'n Cod proudly occupied the pilot-house; Solon attended to the
four-legged engine; Sabella was making preparations for supper; while
the two who would be raftmates, provided they only had a raft, paced
slowly back and forth on the upper deck, enjoying the scenery and
discussing their plans.
"If we only knew how those fellows had disguised the raft, and what she
looked like now!" remarked Billy Brackett.
"I'm certain that I should recognize it under any disguise," asserted
Winn, positively.
"That may be, but it would simplify matters if we could have some
definite description of the craft. Now we shall have to board every
raft we overhaul, on some pretence or other, and make inquiries. And
that reminds me that the _Whatnot_ does not seem to be provided with a
skiff."
"Yes, Solon said there was one on this deck, covered with canvas. That
must be it there," replied Winn. As he spoke he lifted an edge of the
bit of old sail that protected some bulky object from the weather, and
looked beneath it. Then he uttered a cry of amazement, and tore the
canvas completely off.
"It's my canoe, as sure as I'm standing here!" he shouted. "The very
one that was carried off on the raft!"