CHAPTER XXIV. CLIP MAKES A LITTLE MONEY FOR HIMSELF.
About noon the next day, while Clip was at the helm, there was a sudden jolt that jarred the boat from stem to stern, if I may so speak of a double-ender ferry-boat.
Bob and Sam, who had been occupied with re-arranging some of the cargo, rushed up to the colored pilot.
"What on earth is the matter, Clip asked Bob.
"'Clare to gracious, I dunno, Massa Bob," asseverated Clip.
Bob didn't need to repeat the question. Clip had steered in shore, and the boat had run against a tree of large size which had fallen over into the river, extending a distance of a hundred feet into the stream. Of course the boat came to a standstill.
"What made you do this, Clip?" said Bob, sternly.
"Didn't do it, Massa Bob. Ol' boat run into the tree himself."
"That won't do, Clip. If you had steered right, there would have been no trouble."