ed the youth.

"It 's only the river; it's risin' every minute."

"No, that was a shout. I heard it distinctly. Ay, the boatmen hear it
now!"

"It is a travelling-carriage. I see the lamps," cried one of the men,
as he stood at the door and looked landward. "They may as well keep the
road; there's no crossing the Magra to-night!"

By this time the postilions' whips commenced that chorus of cracking by
which they are accustomed to announce all arrivals of importance.

"Tell them to go back, Beppo," said the chief of the raftsmen to one
of his party. "If we might try to cross with the mail-bags in a boat,
there's not one of us would attempt the passage on the raft."

To judge from the increased noise and uproar, the travellers' impatience
had now reached its highest point; but to this a slight lull succeeded,
probably occasioned by the parley with the boatman.

"They'll give us five Napoleons for the job," said Beppo, entering, and
addressing his Chief.

"_Per Dio_, that won't support our families if we leave them
fatherless," muttered the other. "Who and what are they that can't wait
till morning?"

"Who knows?" said Beppo, with a genuine shrug of native indifference.
"Princes, belike!"

"Princes or beggars, we all have lives to save!" mumbled out an old man,
as he reseated himself by the fire. Meanwhile the courier had entered
the hut, and was in earnest negotiation with the chief, who, however,
showed no disposition to run the hazard of the attempt.

"Are you all cowards alike?" said the courier, in all the insolence
of his privileged order; "or is it a young fellow of _your_ stamp that
shrinks from the risk of a wet jacket?"

This speech was addressed to the youth, whom he had mistaken for one of
the raftsmen.

"Keep your coarse speeches for those who will bear them, my good
fellow," said the other, boldly, "or mayhap the first wet jacket here
will be one with gold lace on the collar."

"He's not one of us; he's a traveller," quickly interposed the chief,
who saw that an angry scene was brewing. "He's only waiting to cross the
river," muttered he in a whisper, "when some one comes rich enough to
hire the raft."

"_Sacre bleu!_ Then he shan't come with us; that I'll promise him," said
the courier, whose offended dignity roused all his ire. "Now, once for
all, my men, will you earn a dozen Napoleons, or not? Here they are for
you if you land us safely at the other side; and never were you so well
pai