stove-lids, and over the burning coals toasted two or
three slices of bread. The first primrose bloom of the glowing day came
over the hills. The sunbeams rioting on the water lent an enchantment to
the autumn scene.

Further back from the river, on the hills, were the claret hues of young
oaks, and the scarlet of young maples. The morning rays sifting through
the little windows of the boat revealed the arrangement of this river
habitation. The two sleeping bunks were near the rear end of the boat;
two chairs, the stove and a rough table were in the forward end. Near
the door hung great coils of fishing line and tackle, and in the corner
was a dip-net and gig.

As Shawn sat eating his breakfast, his thoughts wandered back to Skarrow
and his mother in the little frame house on the river bank--to Mrs.
Alden and doctor Hissong. He thought of the many kindnesses shown him by
these friends, and, perhaps, wondered how his mother might have missed
him since the night he stole away with old John Burney, who made these
shanty-boat trips every autumn. It had been the dream of his life to go
down the river with Burney, for how often had he sat on the wharf-boat
at Skarrow listening to Burney's tales of shanty-boat life on the lower
Ohio. And here he was at last; he and Coaly!

"Shawn," said Burney, "I want to drop a fish-basket just below that
willer. The channel is fine up here, and I might walk up town and see if
I can get a ham-hock and some beef lights, while you look over the hooks
on the jugs--there ain't no bait like a ham-hock for juggin', fer a
channel-cat wants a meat that won't turn white in water."

In the early days of "jugging" on the Ohio, the outfit was a matter of
considerable expense, as half-gallon stone jugs were used, but as time
went on, some ingenious fisherman substituted blocks of wood, painted in
white or conspicuous colors. A stout line, some six or seven feet long,
is stapled to the block of wood, and with a good, heavy hook at the end
of the line, the outfit is complete. The jugs, some twenty or thirty,
are put out at the head of the channel, and are followed by the
fishermen in a skiff or john-boat. When a channel-cat takes the bait,
the jug stands on end and begins to scud through the water. The
fisherman pursues in his boat, and coming up, pushes his dip-net under
the fish as he draws him to the surface. It is the most exciting and
fascinating method known in river fishing.

Burney came from t