e. I will see that he loses nothing. My advice is, come at once.
The doctor and his daughter will be good company for you on your
voyage."

Eloy was easily induced to do as his friend and former patient
advised.

"Oui, monsieur, certainment shall we depart most glad from ze log hut.
Lucrece, ma chere fille, dance for ze delight! We shall, on ze
to-morrow, us depart, on ze joli bateau with ze mademoiselle; quick
shall run ze stream, row ze oar, fly ze sail--we come right away to
ze excellent long friend of your father. Ze honor and ze felicity
shall be to me to serve mademoiselle for ze sake of her divine uncle,
for ze own beautiful sake of ze fair angel."

The Buckeye, on which Evaleen and her friends took passage, carried a
cargo for the Southern market. The crew numbered eight picked men,
commanded by Eli Winslow, a talkative Vermonter, with none too much
experience on the Mississippi, but overstocked with self-confidence.

Such clothing and household goods as he thought essential to take
along for himself and daughter, Doctor Deville packed in old trunks,
or tied up in bundles, all of which were deposited on the river bank,
six hours ahead of time. The luggage included a basket of Bordeaux, a
surgeon's case, a chest of medicine, and a violin in a green bag. At
last the barge hove in sight, announced by the echoing of the boat
horn. The fidgety Frenchman gave Lucrece a kiss and almost dislocated
her arm by pulling her after him to the landing. A long half hour he
had yet to wait before The Buckeye was made fast to the posts on the
bank and Eloy was helped on board, still holding fast to his _chere
fille_. It would require a volume to report the conversation which
enlivened the many days' journey down the Ohio and the Mississippi.
The doctor chirruped constantly. He knew a little of everything, and
talked much of nothing, very amusingly. Often he sang French songs,
often played dance tunes on the violin, now and then took an
enlivening taste of wine.

Past Cincinnati, past Louisville and the Falls of the Ohio, past
Shawnee Town, past Fort Massac, and Diamond Island and Battery Rock,
the vessel moved slowly and steadily along. The voyagers were told
that the lower river was infested still by wreckers, one scene of
whose frequent depredations was Wolf Island. Captain Winslow
discoursed much on the state of Western commerce, and the dangers
which menaced travel.

"A great part," said he, "of the Territory of Missi