The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Mississippi Saucer, by Frank Belknap Long

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Title: The Mississippi Saucer

Author: Frank Belknap Long

Release Date: November 20, 2007 [EBook #23568]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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Produced by Greg Weeks, Joel Schlosberg and the Online
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[Transcriber's Note:
This eBook was produced from _Weird Tales_, March 1951, pp. 26-36.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright
on this publication was renewed.]

_Something of the wonder that must have come to men
seeking magic in the sky in days long vanished._

The Mississippi Saucer

[Illustration]

*Heading by Jon Arfstrom*

_By Frank Belknap Long_

Jimmy watched the _Natchez Belle_ draw near, a shining eagerness in his
stare. He stood on the deck of the shantyboat, his toes sticking out of
his socks, his heart knocking against his ribs. Straight down the river
the big packet boat came, purpling the water with its shadow, its
smokestacks belching soot.

Jimmy had a wild talent for collecting things. He knew exactly how to
infuriate the captains without sticking out his neck. Up and down the
Father of Waters, from the bayous of Louisiana to the Great Sandy other
little shantyboat boys envied Jimmy and tried hard to imitate him.

But Jimmy had a very special gift, a genius for pantomime. He'd wait
until there was a glimmer of red flame on the river and small objects
stood out with a startling clarity. Then he'd go into his act.

Nothing upset the captains quite so much as Jimmy's habit of holding a
big, croaking bullfrog up by its legs as the riverboats went steaming
past. It was a surefire way of reminding the captains that men and frogs
were brothers under the skin. The puffed-out throat of the frog told the
captains exactly what Jimmy thought of their cheek.

Jimmy refrained from making faces, or sticking out his tongue at the
grinning roustabouts. It was the frog that did the trick.

In the still dawn things came sailing Jimmy's way, hurled by captains
with a twin