Having attended to that duty Jack proceeded to take things easy; while the two rival cooks started to wrestle with the problem of what to have for the next meal; always a matter of more or less consideration among campers.
CHAPTER XIX.
IN THE LAND OF COTTON.
"Another day to be spent in idleness," remarked George the next morning, after the four campers had passed a comfortable night.
"Well, that was a part of the figuring when we started on this race," observed Jack. "We knew Herb and his jolly old Comfort would always be tagging behind. Besides, there's no particular hurry, since I only have to be in New Orleans by the beginning of December. To tell the truth, I'll be sorry that the long cruise must soon come to an end."
"Yes, that's a fact," admitted the other. "It has been a great thing for us all. I'm learning new things every day; and as for you fellows it's been a picnic. Perhaps there may be something stirring for Nick and myself before the end comes."
There was, plenty of it, as will be presently mentioned.
At ten o'clock the cry arose that the Comfort was in sight.
"What's that?" cried George, who was fishing around a corner, and had no opportunity to look up-stream. "You must be mistaken, Jimmie; or else Herb has taken to running out of hours. Why, that would throw him only a couple of hours behind our run of the two days."