Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-22
CHAPTER ".
THE FIRST BARGAIN


though he sat by the door Of the
kitchen until daylight.
| The robbers had evidently anticipated that
some one would stand watch after the alarm,
and they made no further effort to carry any
thing away from the River Queen.
The cook was surely disappointed, for he
had reckoned upon "squaring himself" as
he called it, and he was in a very bad humor
when he called the boys to breakfast.
The boat was drifting down the stream
when Jimmie went on deck, Jethro having
cast off the hawsers and worked the River
Qneen into the current when the first gray
hight OF dawn appeared. so that by the time
breakfast was served she was nearly ten
miles further down the river than she was
when the boys had retired.
There was nothing to be done during tho
day, after the goods which the robbers had
packed up were replaced on the shelves, ex-
eepting to watch the progress of the boat or
to talk over the events of the past night.
Jimmie did not expect to do any business
until after they left Louisville. and even
then not until they were one or two days
journey down the river.
The one thing that troubled him was
whether it would be possible, owing to the
height Of the water. to drift over the falls
vile, KY. or if be would be obliged to enter
the canal through which passenger steamers
passed.
When the waters are at their height in
the spring, person would never mistrust
that there were any falls at that place, and
the largest steamers pass up and down over
them without the slightest difficulty; but as
soon as the waters fall few feet, the larger
craft are forced to go through the canal.
Smaller craft go over the dangerous place
until the waters begin to show a decided
fall. when they, too, are obliged to take the
more tedious way around.
Had his boat been less expensive one, or
had she not been loaded with such vaiu-
able cargo, Jimmie would not have hesitated
to run the falls; but. as it was, he believed
he should go around.
The young trader was sitting on the bow
of the River Qneen, trying to decide whether
to pull him over the two miles and half, in
case he should be obliged to go through the
canal, or whether he ought, with Jethro's
aid to pole her through, when his attention
was attracted by the movements of q man
ON the bank q short distance ahead
For a moment Jimmie had forgotten that
he was floating trader" and then he
realized shat the man, having seen his white
flag was trying to attract his attention for
purposes of trade.
Jumping to his feet, he called out, "A
eustomeri customer!" and he began tug
ging away at the unwieldy sweep. in order to
force the boats head toward the shore.
That cry was sufficient to arouse even
Jrthro from his dream of vengeance, and,
after ten minutes of hard work, the trading
boat was made fast to the bank, not more
than an eighth of a mile below the would
be customers house.
Il want some tea, sugar and -four, while
nv women-folks want some little truck.
Win you take corn?" the man asked Jethro,
as he hurried up to the River Queen.
turning sulkily away, as he pointed to Jim;
for. if he had forgotten his ill-temper while
he was helping work the boat over to the
bank, it all returned to him the moment she
was made fast. s.,
urised at seeing "a boy in possession of such
a fine boat; and then his face lighted up won
derfulK, as evidently he thought he could
drive a good bargain with so young a mer-
chant.
81 am running the boat" replied jim,
"and / win take anything you have. got at a
fair price"
Before leaving hssne Jim had been careful
to get the New Orleans quotations of such
goods as he would likely be called upon to
purchase; then he had ascertained the rate
of freights the southern merchants commits
sons, and the possible fluctuations of the
market With this information as a basis
upon which to work. Jim set about buying
the corn at the best advantage to himself
having first sent Jethro on shore to the corn
crib to see that it was of good quality
'Wen," said the man. when the bargain
was finally concluded, Il calculate that you
are little the closest trader I've struck.
I'm going to let you have corn enough to
pay for what goods | want at your figures;
but it's three cents less than l could get if
held on to it,
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