"Den come up to de house, an' I'll git Aunt Katie to cook sumfin fo' you-uns. De colonel always treats strangers well."
Having been out in the wet so long, the boys did not object to going where they could dry themselves, and making the scow fast, they followed the negro to the house, which stood on a rise of ground some distance away. The negro cook, Aunt Katie, had gone to bed, but she was aroused, and inside of half an hour had a hot supper ready, which the lads ate with great satisfaction. In the meantime they dried their clothes, so that they felt comfortable once more.
"You-uns kin stay heah all night, if you-uns wants to," said the negro, after consulting the cook.
"Thanks, we will," said Mark, and both were shown to a nicely furnished bedchamber. Here they slept soundly until morning, and then, after breakfast, proceeded on their journey once more.
CHAPTER VI
TWO BOYS AND A MULE
"The Mississippi at last, Mark!"
