The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-09-21

two men surveyed their work with great sat
isfactiop, and nothing bat his duty TO bis
mother prevented Brace Barlow from join
ing the party and making the voyage down
the river with them
From information furnished by Uncle
Phin the young man gained an idea that
the greater part of their journey was TO be
performed by water. and that Dalecourt
was somewhere in West Virginia. within a
few miles OF the point to which the ark
could be navigated.
This was also Uncle Phin's idea when
he learned that the river in which his craft
was launched flowed into the Ohio. which
IN turn washed one of the borders of West
Virginia. This new name meant nothing
TO him. There had been but one Virginia
when he left it, and even Of its extent he
had not the slightest conception. he i'm
agined that, once within the borders OF
the state, It would be q simple
mattel 10 discover and reach his
old home. All he knew of travel
ing and distances was that when hs
followed his young mistress to New York,
the journey occupied less than two days.
and that the one from New York to the
oil country had been accom- lisbed in
while he was well aware that . boat, drift
ing with the current. would nor travel
quite IS fast as train Of cars, he did not
for moment doubt that two or three
weeks, or month at the very most, would
see them safely established between the
stately magnoliss of Dalecourt.
Had he known that between the place
where they must leave their boat and their
destination, there stretched . weary dis
lance of nearly 500 miles, much of which
was across rugged mountain ranges. it is
probable that even his stout heart would
have shrunk from SO great an undertaking
But he had no knowledge of this, and
happily ignorant of what was before them
IS was bis beloved ''lil masse," now Sleep
ing SO peacefully on his bed of straw. the
old man fioated contentedly over the
cleaning waters, and recalled bright
pictures Of the dear old home he hoped 50
soon to see.
The night was far advanced, he was worn
out with the fatiguing labor of the proceed
ing two days, there was no sound to dis
turb him. and so. after awhile, his head
sunk low over the steering oar, and ere
long he, too, was fast asleep.
Thus. with no wakeful eye to determine
her course, the ark drifted on through the
night; now in deep shadows of great bills
or dark forests; then across long stretches
OF silvery moonlight; here caught by an
eddy and turned slowly round and round !;
there held for q moment on the point Of
some glistening sandbar, from which she
would slowly swing of and again move
ahead.
While the occupants of the boat still
slept the moonlight paled before the rosy
dawn of q new day, and at last mische-
vous beam from the round, red sun, just
peeping over the Eastern bills, found its
way into the little cabin and shone full
across Arthur's eyes. In a moment the
boy was wide-awake and gazing upon his
strange surroundings with the utmost be-
wilderment. He heard no sound. per-
ceived no motion, and had not the faintest
idea that he was on boat. He only won
dered whose this strange house was, where
it was. and what had become of Uncle
Phin, of whom he could see no sign.
He almost expected to hear his Aunt
Nancy's harsh voice calling him. Then
the events of the preceding night came
slowly back to him, and, with q thrill Of
Joy, he remembered that he was far from
her dreaded presence and had actually
started on q journey toward his own dear
mothers beautiful home.
But ne must get up and find out where
he was, and what had become of Brace
Barlow and Uncle Phin. At the very
moment he stepped from his straw
filed bunk there came crash and q