"Oh, he's going away to leave me to the Lou'siana shore,
And I'll never see my darling, my Bosephus, any more;
He's divided up the money, and he's going far away,
And my poor old heart is breaking but he—will—not—stay.
We have battled with the weather—we have faced the world together—
Never caring why or whether—never minding when or where—
But he says we now must sever—happy days are done forever,
For Bosephus and the fiddle and the Old—Black—Bear!"
FELL WEEPING INTO HIS COMPANION'S ARMS.
An hour later Bo was wending his way southward through the sweet spring woods alone. In his inner breast pocket was stored every dollar the friends had earned together.
"I will never need it now, Bo," Horatio had said at parting, "and you will need a great many times as much. Take it and sometimes think of your far off faithful Ratio." And then, after one long embrace, they had parted. And now the little boy was trying to keep up courage to carry out what he had undertaken. At every turn in the path he was tempted to return and throw himself in Horatio's arms. But he pressed on, hoping to arrive at some sort of habitation for the night, which he did not like to pass alone in the woods.
"Poor old Ratio," he thought. "He will be happier with his own people after a while. And perhaps he will really civilize them." He turned and cast one long look in the direction of the colony which he could no longer see. Then facing about again he hurried forward. About a mile further on he paused at a little brook for a drink. He was bending over the water when he heard a sudden crashing in the bushes behind him. He started up instantly and seized a heavy stick that lay close at hand. Nearer and nearer came the tearing through the brush, like some heavy animal in fierce chase. The boy stepped out of the path to let the creature pass, and then, all at once, he gave a cry of joy and surprise. Headlong out of the bushes, stumbling and rolling at his feet, with tears streaming from his eyes and violin under his arm, was Horatio.
"Bo, Bo!" he cried. "I couldn't stand it. I'm going with you. That kind planter will give me a place to stay, I know, and maybe if he sends you to college he'll let me go, too. I could play for the college boys, Bo, and help pay your way. Don't send me back, Bo! Don't send me back!"
Bo embraced him silently.