ver and then up into the sky. Deep down
under the dark, swirling water he could see life taking shape in a
thousand forms. Caddis flies building bright, shining new nests, and
dragonfly nymphs crawling up toward the sunlight, and pollywogs growing
sturdy hindlimbs to conquer the land.

But there were cottonmouths down there too, with death behind their
fangs, and no love for the life that was crawling upward. When Jimmy
looked up into the sky he could see all the blazing stars of space, with
cottonmouths on every planet of every sun.

Uncle Al was like a bright caddis fly building a fine new nest, thatched
with kindness, denying himself bright little Mardi Gras pleasures so
that Jimmy could go to school and grow wiser than Uncle Al.

"That's right, Jimmy. You're growing up--we can see that! Uncle Al says
he told you to bide from the cottonmouths. But you were ready to give
your life for your sister and Uncle Al."

"Shucks, it was nothing!" Jimmy heard himself protesting.

"Uncle Al doesn't think so. And neither do we!"

* * * * *

A long silence while the river mists seemed to weave a bright cocoon of
radiance about Jimmy clinging to the bank, and the great circular disk
that had swallowed up Uncle Al.

Then the voices began again. "No reason why Uncle Al shouldn't have a
little fun out of life, Jimmy. Gold's easy to make and we'll make some
right now. A big lump of gold in Uncle Al's hand won't hurt him in any
way."

"Whenever he gets any spending money he gives it away!" Jimmy gulped.

"I know, Jimmy. But he'll listen to you. Tell him you want to go to New
Orleans, too!"

Jimmy looked up quickly then. In his heart was something of the wonder
he'd felt when he'd seen his first riverboat and waited for he knew not
what. Something of the wonder that must have come to men seeking magic
in the sky, the rainmakers of ancient tribes and of days long vanished.

Only to Jimmy the wonder came now with a white burst of remembrance and
recognition.

It was as though he could sense something of himself in the two towering
spheres that rose straight up out of the water behind the disk. Still
and white and beautiful they were, like bubbles floating on a rainbow
sea with all the stars of space behind them.

Staring at them, Jimmy saw himself as he would be, and knew himself for
what he was. It was not a glory to be long endured.

"Now you must forget again, Jimmy! Forget as Uncle Al wi