CHAPTER XXX.
IN CLOD'S CABIN.
Aunt Viney heard Bim's joyful voice, and glancing anxiously towards thedoor of the room in which Sabella lay, she muttered, "Drat dat ar dorg!He sholy wake up missy wif he barkin'."
The barking did waken Sabella, and as she lifted her head to listen,she whispered wonderingly to herself, "It's Bim! It's dear old Bim. Iknow his voice."
Winn, bending wearily over the statement he was preparing for thepolice, heard the barking, and looked up with a startled expression onhis troubled face. "If I didn't know that it couldn't be, I should saythat was Bim's bark. Poor old dog!" he thought.
The next instant he sprang to his feet with a cry. Could the dead cometo life? Could the drowned be resurrected? Could the handsome,smiling, eager figure in the doorway be that of the young uncle whoseuntimely death he had so truly mourned? A quick step, a joyful shout,and the two were face to face, with hand clasped in hand.
"The next instant he sprang to his feet with a cry."]
"It has been a terrible lesson, Uncle Billy, but I think I have learnedit," said Winn.
"Thank God, my dear boy, that the experience has been gained socheaply; for I feared it had cost you your life."
"But where is my little one, my Sabella?" asked Cap'n Cod, anxiously."They told me she was here."
"Here I am, Uncle Aleck," came the dear voice from the inner room.Then there was another glad reunion of those who had thought neveragain to meet in this life; while the old man counted as nothing theloss of all he had possessed, so long as this child was left to him.
When Aunt Viney was told who Solon was, she made him a deep courtesy,and then, with tears streaming down her cheeks, she began to sing:
"Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."
Before she finished the first line they were all singing with her, andnever did this grand old hymn of thanksgiving find a more ferventutterance.
As for Bim, there never was a happier bull-dog in this world. Hebarked as long as his voice held out, and jumped up on every one, andtore wildly about the room until his chain fastened itself to a tableleg. Then, with a few spoke-like revolutions, he became completelywound up, and lay panting on the floor, only waiting to be releasedthat he might again go through with the entire performance.
After comparative quiet had been restored, though every one was stilltalking at once, the questions arose, "Who saved Sabella? Was any onedrowned? If so, who was it? Did Winn bring the _Whatnot_ down theriver? If not, how did he reach the scene of the catastrophe? How didthe boy's signature happen to be attached to the paper in possession ofthe steamboat Captain?" These and a dozen other questions were askedin a breath, and then all began to answer them at once. Finally, BillyBrackett called the meeting to order, and asked each one to tell hisstory in turn, beginning with Cap'n Cod.
The most interesting stories, and those throwing the most light on thesituation, were Winn's and Sabella's. At first they were all puzzledto know who Mr. Gresham could have been. Then Sabella said, "Why,don't you know, Uncle Aleck? He was the one who sold you the canoe,and the one Winn said was a bad man. He brought Don Blossom back, andI told him all about Mr. Brackett and Winn and the raft and everything,and he was so glad he started right off to find them. Then he cameback with two other men, and said you were all on the raft, and theyborrowed the _Whatnot_ to go and find you with. He was one of the verynicest and kindest and best men I ever knew, and was going to be my'Uncle Billy,' so I could have one as well as Winn, and now he'sdrowned, and--"
Here the little girl began to sob bitterly, while Billy Brackett andWinn and Cap'n Cod looked at each other, and almost simultaneouslypronounced the name "Gilder."
They did not speak it very loud, for the last splendid act of the man'slife had won for him the right to an unstained name. Hereafter theywould only remember him as William Gresham the hero.
Thus was cleared up most of the mystery that, like the fog, hadenveloped the proceedings of that memorable day.
Now what was to be done next? Where was the raft, and was it the_Venture_ or not? At one moment Winn was certain that it was, whilethe next found him again doubtful.
At length it was decided that Solon should remain with his brother forthe present, while the others should go to a hotel in the city acrossthe river. From there Billy Brackett would telegraph to theauthorities of towns farther down, asking them to watch for anabandoned raft, and if they found it to hold it until he could go onand prove ownership. The raft being described as belonging to a MajorCaspar, Winn's name was signed to all these despatches, in order toprevent confusion.
From the hotel Billy Brackett also thought it best to telegraph MajorCaspar of their safe arrival in St. Louis, though, as they had not yetrecovered the raft, it would be unnecessary for him to come on, and apromise to write full particulars at once. In the Major's absence fromhome this despatch was opened by Mrs. Caspar, who had been growing veryanxious of late concerning the voyagers on the great river. The momentshe read it she sat down and wrote another despatch to her husband, whowas in Chicago. It was:
"Raftmates in St. Louis. Southern Hotel. Please join themimmediately."
"Just ten words," she said to herself, with a complacent sigh, as shehanded this to the waiting messenger. "Now if John acts promptly, hemay catch those crazy boys before they have the chance to start off onany other absurd expedition. I only hope to goodness that he'll havethe sense to bring them home, and let that wretched raft drift where itlikes."
Major Caspar could not start for St. Louis the next day, but he did soon the following morning, and late that same evening he walked into theoffice of the Southern Hotel. He was beginning to make inquiries atthe desk, when his hand was seized and violently shaken. Turningquickly, he at once recognized his faithful old army friend Cap'n Cod,and gave him a cordial greeting.
"But where are the others?" he inquired at length.
"Gone down the river an hour ago, by the Short Line," was theunexpected reply. "You see, we only got word this evening that anabandoned raft, answering our description, had just been picked up nearCairo, and Mr. Brackett thought it best that he and Winn should go onat once to indentify it. It was also decided that Sabella and I shouldremain here until we heard from them, because it might not be the_Venture_, you know, and then I'm not sure that we want to go anyfarther down the river, anyway. You see, since losing the _Whatnot_,I've rather lost interest--"
"Losing the _Whatnot_!" interrupted the Major. "What do you mean?"
"Why, haven't you heard?" Then they sat down, and the old man relatedall that had happened to the _Whatnot_ and her passengers since leavingDubuque.
When the recital was ended, the Major drew a long breath, andexclaimed, "Well, for mysterious happenings, incidents, and rapidchanges of scene, that beats anything in the line of Mississippirafting that ever I heard of. So now they are off again, and goodnessknows what scrapes they will get into next; while here I am, ashelpless to prevent them as an old hen with a brood of ducklings.There is one thing I can do, though. I must return to Caspar's Mill atonce, and I want you and your niece to go with me. With my recentlyincreased business, I need just such a man as you to look after my homeinterests, while my daughter Elta, needs just such a girl as yourSabella is described to be for a companion."
Tears stood in the old soldier's eyes as he realized all that thisoffer meant to him and to the girl who was so dear to him; and, inaccepting it, he blessed the kindly heart by which it had been prompted.
The Major sent a despatch to the address in Cairo left by BillyBrackett, directing that young man to dispose of the raft as he thoughtbest, to take care of Winn, come home as soon as they could, andtelling of his plans for Cap'n Cod and Sabella. He also telegraphed toMrs. Caspar that he should be at home the next day but one, bringingstrangers with him.
She, of course, thought he
meant the "raftmates," as she had calledWinn and Billy Brackett from the first, and was amazed to see an oldman and a young girl seated in the carriage with her husband as itdrove up to the house. At first she was greatly disappointed, butwithin a few days she became reconciled to the new arrangement, for shecould not help loving the gentle old man who was so fond of her boy,nor rejoicing in the warm friendship that almost immediately sprang upbetween Elta and Sabella.
In the mean time Billy Brackett and Winn reached Cairo early in themorning, and after breakfast at a hotel, they called on the CityMarshal, who had sent the despatch relating to the raft. To theirsurprise, he received them coldly, and informed them that Mr. Casparhad already been there, had expressed his willingness to pay a hundreddollars reward for the recovery of his raft, and had just gone down totake possession of it.
This was an astounding bit of information, and Winn was about to lethis rapidly rising indignation break forth, when Billy Brackettrestrained him, and asked, mildly, if the Marshal had any objections totheir looking at the raft in question simply to gratify their curiosity.
"Oh no. You can look at her as much as you like, and you will find herjust around the point there, in possession of the two young men whopicked her up--that is, if they haven't already turned her over to herrightful owner."
Again Winn would have exploded, but again his companion restrained him,at the same time leading him from the office.
They found the raft without much difficulty, and walked on board. Justthen the broken door of the "shanty" opened, and two young fellows,hardly older than Winn, stepped out. As they did so one of them turnedand said, politely, "Well, good-bye, and a pleasant voyage to you, Mr.Caspar." Then they both faced the new-comers.
Such an expression of blank amazement as flashed over their faces Winnthought he had never seen. For an instant they stood spellbound. Thenthere was a yell of recognition, or rather a chorus of yells from bothsides.
"Billy Brackett, as I'm a sinner! Whoop! Hooray for the Baldheads andthe Second Division!"
"Billy Brackett, or his ghost!"
"Glen Eddy! Grip, old man! How? When? Where? Why?
"'Oh, gimminy crack, come hold me tight. It makes me laugh and shout. It fills my heart with gay delight When--'"