f man had
never come, but, after long looking, Henry thought that he could detect a
half dozen specks moving southward. It was only for a moment, and then the
specks were gone.

"I'm sure it was the Spanish boats," said Henry, "and I think they've
given up the hunt."

"More'n likely," said Sol, "an' I guess it's about time fur us to pull
across an' pick up Paul an' Tom an' Jim. They'll wonder what hez become o'
us. An' say, Henry, won't they be s'prised to see us come proudly sailin'
into port in our gran' big gall-yun, all loaded down with arms an'
supplies an' treasures that we hev captured?"

Sol spoke in a tone of deep content, and Henry replied in the same tone:

"If they don't they've changed mightily since we left 'em."

Both, in truth, were pervaded with satisfaction. They felt that they had
never done a better night's work. They had a splendid boat filled with the
most useful supplies. As Sol truthfully said, it was one thing to walk a
thousand miles through the woods to New Orleans and another to float down
on the current in a comfortable boat. They had cause for their deep
satisfaction.

They pulled with strong, steady strokes across the Mississippi, taking a
diagonal course, and they stopped now and then to look for a possible
enemy. But they saw nothing, and at last their boat touched the western
shore. Here Sol uttered their favorite signal, the cry of the wolf, and it
was quickly answered from the brush.

"They're all right," said Henry, and presently they heard the light
footsteps of the three coming fast.

"Here, Paul, here we are!" called out Sol a few moments later, "an' min',
Paul, that your moccasins are clean. We don't allow no dirty footsteps on
this magnificent, silver-plated gall-yun o' ours, an' ez fur Jim Hart, ef
the Mississippi wuzn't so muddy I'd make him take a bath afore he come
aboard."

Henry and the shiftless one certainly enjoyed the surprise of their
comrades who stood staring.

"I suppose you cut her out, took her from the Spaniards?" said Paul.

"We shorely did," replied Sol, "an', Paul, she's a shore enough gall-yun,
one o' the kind you told us them Spaniards had, 'cause she's full o' good
things. Jest come on board an' look."

The three were quickly on the boat and they followed Sol with surprise and
delight, as he showed them their new treasures one by one.

"You've named her right, Sol," said Paul. "She is a galleon to us, sure
enough, and that's what we'll call