“I should think it was!” answered Clay.
Peck remained on board the Rambler until daylight, and then the boys took him back up the river to the little cove near his own home. When at last he shook hands with the lads at parting, they did their best to reward him, but he refused every offering made.
“I did this for you boys,” he said, “just because you sent that word up to my wife. You thought she was alone, and might be in trouble, on account of the rough characters you had seen about, and you notified her that you were ready and willing to fight for her if she wanted any assistance. That was enough for me!”
After cooking breakfast at the old camp at the head of the cove, the boys again set out on their journey. During the rest of the trip they avoided saloon boats and coal tows.
They also tied up at night near some city or town. Now and then they read in the daily newspapers stories of alleged outrages by night-riders, but their experiences with the men of the three blue lights led them to make many excuses for them.
They spent nearly a month loitering along the river, stopping here and there, sometimes tying up for two or three days at a time. When at last they saw the lights of Cairo they were heartily sorry that the journey was ended.
“We have had a pleasant trip, mixed with a little healthy excitement!” laughed Case, as they threw out their lines at one of the lower wharves.
“A little excitement?” repeated Alex. “Say, look here, kid, the Ohio is the sixth river we’ve navigated, and she’s given us the liveliest run for our money we’ve had yet.”
“And now,” Case said rather soberly, “we’ll sail up the Mississippi, through the Illinois river and the canal, and get back to our little pier up on the South Branch.”
“Whew!” exclaimed Alex, “won’t Captain Joe, the old sea-captain, be glad to see us come sailing in?”