Sam was much touched by this evidence of thoughtfulness and devotion, and he fastened it in his memory, that it might be easily recalled if the chance ever came to show his appreciation in another form than words.
This was the first morning that they were wholly without food since starting on their journey.
All were decidedly hungry, but not a word was said about eating. Even Ike, always ready to show he had an appetite, felt that it would be somewhat personal to talk about "grub," but at heart he blamed himself for having eat so much the day before. It would have been the part of wisdom, he thought, to have put a little away for this morning.
"Wa'al, Mistah Sam, wat's to be did nex'?" asked Ike, as he looked down at the white line that marked the beginning of another series of unknown rapids about three hundred yards away.
"We must try it again, Ike," said Sam, bravely.
"Down de ribber?"
"Do you think we could go up?"
"Wa'al, not berry well, an' if we could dis chile wouldn't be in foh tryin' it again."
"Then we must go down."
"No cannee help oulsel's, if so we go flom dis," said Wah Shin, with all the wisdom of Confucius.