The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-04-07
The Arkansas Travellers.
Continued from the first page.]

The Arkansas Travellers.
(Continued from the first page.]
Perhaps 1t was owing to his fidgeting, and
perhaps also, to the increased load that
pony made false step, just as they
were in the middle of the river. As
pony lunged forward, striving as best
she could to regain her footing and bear
up her precious burden against the re-
lentless current, the boys realized their
danger and clopping their legs on either
side of the pony, Alec clinging tightly
to the name and Otis, with vise-like
grip, to the back of the saddle and to
Alec's coat.tail, they hung on. As pony
stumbled, she very naturally went head.
foremost, but almost asquick as thought
she righted herself, regained solid
footing, raised her head above the
waves, blew the water out of her nos
trils, and struggled on.
The worst was soon past and in few
moments more the boys jumped down
on terra .frma. They were warmly vel
coined by Bob, who had been standing
on the bank, watching the whole per-
formance with intense eagerpess. Vary.
ing emotions must have been rushing
through his mind and, for aught We
know, he may have thought of himself.
as lone "Arkansaw traveller" As the
boys jumped off the pony, he came rum
ming up, seized each of the boys by the
hand and shook it heartily as he ex-
claimed earnestly: II say, boys, just
one inch more, and you would have got
your ever-lastingw
"Pook," said the undaunted Alec, "a
miss OF an inch, is as good as q mile. I
knew pony would make the rifle
Boys, you can easily imagine that pony
had big feed Of corn for dinner that
'lay, and well she deserved it, for had it
not been for her noble exertions !
should not have this true story to tell
you. .ta .afut, .uas Ia. .it
Alec and Otis were as wet as rats up
to their shoulders, and so a fire was
built up on the bank of the river, to
dry their clothes by. Before they were
fairly dry, some one proposed to catch q
mess of fish. They were all right In TO,
it, and the fishing tackle was soon
brought out. The next thing was some
bait. They hunted high and low, but
not worm could they find. At last
Otis, who had gone some distance down
the river, came back with three sickly
worms that he had found. He gave
one to each of the boys, and they al
baited their hooks fully expecting to bt
drawing in fish in a jiHy. The baitet
hooks were tossed far out into thu
stream and each boy patiently waited tt
get bite, but not nibble could any o
them get. Finally their patience wa
completely exhausted, and ia no yer!
good humor, they gave it up for bat
job. By this time it had commenced
showing, and they began to think OF I
place of shelter for the night. Ale
mounted the pony, telling the boys tina
he would push on ahead and If possible
find a place, and for them to follow at
brisk gait. He rode ahead, two o
three miles, and finding no place, turn
ed back to meet the boys and talk tn
matter over. He met them silentl,
plodding along, each lost in his owl
meditations, which, judging from tn
calculations in the form Of "cuss words,
were not the most pleasant.
Just as Alec met them, he espied al
old tumble-down cabin off to the right
which had escaped him as he hat
passed. As he came up to the boys ant
reined up the pony he said, swell boys
guess the best we can do is to 60 dow
here and put up at the Cabin House
It is not frst-clsss hotel, but think i
will do for 'Arkansaw travelers,' in [
pinch" I'm pinch, you say" NUT
tered Otis. ."None Of your nonsense Il
me now, about "Arkansaw travellers,
and he put in an adjective just befor'
that word "nonsenss" which ] omit q
it was much more expressive than reve
rental. "Oh, pshsw, man" said Alec
as he rode on toward the cabin, "yo,
mustn't get down in the month, Just be
cause it SHOWS little and We have nj
feather bed to eleep on tonight. II will
all be right in the morning"
When the two boys arrived Alec hat
taken survey Of the promises, and hat
tied the pony in one corner of the cab
in, determined to make the best of things
The cabin had no floor and no roof, ex
cept a little on one corner, which Ale
thought would help to keep the snov
of of them little. The chimney hex
fallen down, 20 that the only chance wa
to make the fire on the floor. A goo,
sized log was rolled out in the middle Q
the cabin, small wood provided an,
soon q bright fire was blazing beside il
Alec and Bob were busy gathering WOO.
to keep the fire up during the night
but as soon a. it began TO burn brightly
Otis sat down ON Q chunk beside it
rested his chin in his hands and begal