ee.

Erastus had his family with him, and was prospering finely. He
declared he would never forget what the boys had done for him, and his
entire family signed their names to the communication, which the boys
put in the frame that held the other letter from the fugitive black,
found pinned to the live oak after they had left food for him during
the night he was being hunted.

By the time the participants of the race reached the home town again,
they found that every boy within five miles was eager to hear of what
strange things had befallen them during the long journey.

Not one had ever been further down the Mississippi than St. Louis, and
then on a steamboat; so that the mystery of living close to the waters
was unknown to the entire bunch. During the whole of that winter Nick
was kept busy retailing the amazing things he claimed to have seen and
done; until finally the rest of the club had to pass a resolution
declaring that unless he brought this yarn-spinning to a stop he would
surely be drafted to be George's partner again the next summer in the
speed boat. And really Buster had such a horror of such a dreadful
thing happening that from then on no one could get him to open his lips
with regard to the Mississippi cruise.

"It's too much of a temptation for George," he used to say, after
getting as far away from the skipper of the _Wireless_ as he could, in
the club room. "You see, he just can't help having that cannibal blood
in him, for he was born so. But it's wicked in our tempting the poor
chap so. Now, if he has a thin, scrawny fellow, say, like Josh here,
along, he'll gradually overcome this savage appetite. Me for the bully
old _Comfort_ the next time this motor boat club goes on its vacation.
You hear me say it, all. Herb and I have got that settled, haven't we,
Herb?"

And the placid skipper of the big launch would laugh as he replied:

"Well, you did say that you admired my boat, because there was so much
room to stow things away, particularly lockers for grub galore. But I
guess you'll fit better in with me than in either of the other boats;
so let's call it a go. Though I'll miss the fine cooking of Josh, I
tell you."

"Oh! next time we'll probably cruise and camp together, and then we all
can enjoy some of his wonderful cooking," Nick hastened to add, feeling
that it might pay to flatter his old enemy a little, if he expected to
profit by it in the future.

And here for the present