In the middle of the next forenoon they came to Delta, which is at the bottom of the Vicksburg cutoff, on the west bank of the river. Here, with many handshakes and expressions of regret at parting, the three men left the boat.
“If we have any luck at all,” Gregg said, as the Rambler pushed out, “we’ll meet you somewhere south of New Orleans. We’ve always wanted to see that swamp country.”
The boys moved slowly down the river after that.
Again they were enjoying themselves, fishing, hunting and exploring the country on either side of the great stream.
There were lowlands, swamps, winding bayous and forests in places. Again, there were plantations, with noble houses showing from the river. Whenever they halted at a plantation landing they were received most hospitably.
The wreckage of the flood was running out of the stream, and the water was dropping down to normal. Occasionally they left the boat at night and built rousing camp-fires on high banks. At such times plantation hands often gathered about them with banjo and mandolin and violin and made the night musical.
They heard no mention of the Rock Island warehouse robbery until they approached Baton Rouge. The night before they sighted that beautiful city they camped on a piece of high land on a small island. No sooner was their fire blazing high than a couple of rowboats skimmed across the river and drew up near the little camp.
There were three men in one boat and two in the other, and the whole five hastened to greet the boys. They were evidently planters, for they were well dressed and gave the impression of being gentlemen.
The man who seemed to be the leader looked keenly around the camp, peered into the cabin of the Rambler, and then approached Clay with outstretched hand.
“I don’t need to ask who you boys are,” he laughed. “I am a regular reader of the Chicago newspapers. One of them, not long ago, printed your pictures, including those of the dog and the cub! If you’ll desert this camp and come over to the house, I’ll be glad to put you up for the night.”