l the puppy persuaded its mother
to be quiet. Then Bim and she lay down, nose to nose, and while the
former told his friend how he had found her deserted babies on the boat
and had determined to save them, and how his own dear master had come
in answer to his barks for assistance, she told him how she had been in
the after-part of the boat getting her supper when the flames broke
out, and had gone nearly crazy at finding herself separated from her
little ones. She assured him she would have gone through fire and
water to reach them had not her master thrown her overboard, and
immediately afterwards jumped into the river himself. Then she
believed that all was lost, for in her distress of mind she had
entirely forgotten her brave friend Bim. If she had only remembered
him, she would have been quite at ease, knowing, of course, that he
would find some way of saving at least one of her puppies, which, under
the circumstances, was all that could be expected.

At which Bim jumped up and barked for pure happiness, until his master
said, "That will do, Bim, for the present."

CHAPTER XXXVI.

THE MASTER OF MOSS BANK.

The Gordon setter's name was Nanita, while that of her master was Mr.
Guy Manton, of New York. Within a short time after the final plunge of
the burned packet, several steamboats, attracted by the blaze, reached
the raft, and offered to carry the survivors of the disaster to the
nearest town. This offer was accepted by all except Mr. Manton, who
asked, as a favor, that he and his dogs might be allowed to remain on
board the _Venture_, at least until morning. Of course the raftmates
willingly consented to this, for Mr. Manton was so grateful to them,
besides proving such an agreeable companion, that they could not help
but like him.

From him they learned how Bim happened to be on board the ill-fated
steamboat, a situation over which they had all puzzled, but concerning
which they had heretofore found no opportunity of inquiring. According
to Mr. Manton's story, he was on his way to a plantation on the
Mississippi, in Louisiana, which he had recently purchased, but had not
yet seen.

Wishing to learn something of the great river on a bank of which his
property lay, he had come by way of St. Louis, and there boarded the
fine New Orleans packet _Lytle_. He had brought with him a supply of
machinery, provisions, and tools for the plantation, all of which were
now either consumed by fire or lay a