on't you, Bo?"

But the little boy was in the land of dreams.

CHAPTER VI

AN EXCITING RACE

"Sailing down the river so early in the morn,
Sailing down the river so early in the morn,
Sailing down the river so early in the morn,
Never was so happy since the day that I was born."

THE boat on which Horatio and Bosephus had taken their passage made no
landings during the night, and the little boy and the big Bear slept
soundly on the deck together. Rather too soundly, as will be seen later.
At daybreak the next morning Bosephus was wide awake, singing softly and
watching through the mist the queer forms of the cypress trees, with the
long Spanish moss swinging from the limbs. Horatio, hearing the singing,
rubbed his eyes and sat up. He had never been so far South before, so
the scenery was new to both of them, and when they came to open spaces
and saw that the shores were only a few inches higher than the river and
that fields of waving green came right to the water's edge they were
both pleased and surprised at this new world. The climate had changed,
too, and the air was warm and spring-like.

"I tell you, Bo," said Horatio grandly, "there's nothing like travel.
You're a lucky boy, Bo, to fall in with me. Why, the way you've come out
in the last few months is wonderful. Of course, there is a good deal of
room yet for improvement, and there are still some things that you are
rather timid of, but when I remember how you looked the first minute I
saw you, and then to see the sociable way you sit up and talk to me now,
you really don't seem like the same boy, Bosephus, you really don't."

The little boy leaned up close to his companion.

"Oh, there was a little boy and his name was Bo,"

he sang softly, remembering their first meeting.

"Went out into the woods when the moon was low,"

added the Bear, strumming lightly the strings of the violin.

"And he met an Old Bear that was hungry for a snack,
And the folks are still awaiting for Bosephus to come back."

they continued together in a half whisper.

"Ratio," said the little boy, confidentially, "did you really intend
to--to have me--you know, Ratio--for--for supper until I taught you the
tune? Did you, Ratio?"

Horatio gazed away across a broad cane field, where the first streak of
sunrise was beginning to show.

"For the boy became the teacher of the kind and gentle creature
Who could play upon the fidd