"

George's heart sank within him. To be so near the realization of his dream
of adventure, and to be stopped at the eleventh hour by this stupid,
cautious boatman! Waggie, who had been frisking near him, suddenly became
solemn.

Watson pulled from his coat a large pack of Confederate money. "There's
money for you," he cried, "if you'll take us over!"

The ferryman eyed him in a sleepy way, and took another pull at that
provoking pipe.

"Money!" he said, after a long pause, during which the Northerners gazed
at him as if their very lives depended on his decision. "Money! What's the
use to me of money, if we all get drowned crossing over?"

As he spoke the river roared and rushed downwards on its course with a
heedlessness that quite justified him in his hesitation. "Wait till
to-morrow morning, and the Tennessee will be quieter. Then I'll help you
out."

"Wait till doomsday, why don't you say?" thundered Jenks. "We must take
the risk--and I order you to take us over, at once!"

"You may be a very big man in the army," answered the ferryman, "but your
orders don't go here!" He produced a small tin box from the tail of his
coat, leisurely poured from it into his pipe some strong tobacco, and
slowly lighted the stuff. Then he arose, walked to the edge of the wharf,
and beckoned to a lad of nine or ten years old who was half asleep in the
boat. The boy jumped up, leaped upon the wharf, and ran off along the
river's bank in the opposite direction from which the four strangers had
come. He had received a mysterious order from the ferryman.

"What's the matter now?" asked Macgreggor, who had a strong desire to
knock down this imperturbable fellow who refused to be impressed even by a
Confederate uniform.

"Nothing," replied the man, stolidly. He sat down again, crossed his legs,
and took a long pull at the pipe.

"For the last time," shouted Jenks, shaking his fist in the smoker's face,
"I order you to take out that boat, and ferry us across the river!"

"For the last time," said the man, very calmly, "I tell you I'm not going
to risk my life for four fools!"

George walked up closer to Watson, and whispered: "Let's seize the boat,
and try to cross over ourselves!"

Watson beckoned to his two companions, and told them what the boy
suggested.

"We will be taking our lives in our hands," said Jenks, "but anything is
better than being delayed here."

"Besides," added Macgreggor, "although the river _is_ pretty