"The boy speaks sense, ma'am," said Ichabod Slocum. "He's only a kid, but he's a smart one. He's good at a bargain, too. He made me take fifty dollars less for the boat than I meant to. You can trust him better than a good many men."
"I am glad you have so favorable an opinion of Robert, Mr. Slocum," said Mrs. Burton. "I suppose I must yield to his desire."
"Then I may go, mother?"
"Yes, Robert; you have my consent."
"Then the next thing is to pay Mr. Slocum for his boat."
This matter was speedily arranged.
"I wish, Mr. Slocum," said Bob, "that you were going to St. Louis. I would be very glad to give you free passage."
"Thank you, lad, but I must turn my steps in a different direction."
"Shall I have any difficulty in managing the boat on our course down the river?"
"No, you will drift with the current. It is easy enough to go down stream. The trouble is to get back. But for that, I wouldn't have sold you the boat. At night you tie up anywhere it is convenient, and start again the next morning."