“ ‘So’m I,’ said Joe, ‘at eleven; en we’ll go company.’
“ ‘What’s the blaze?’ said Ransom.
“ ‘Two canoes, and one jug,’ said Joe.
“I knowed what he was after then, for it showed clean out’n his eyes. Joe war the best swimmer, en he thort ef we cum together an’ upset the canoes, he’d have the advantage. He knowed he’d git catawampously chored up ashore, en he wanted to drown me.”
“What a devil incarnate! I exclaimed.”
“That’s just him ’zactly. I thort a minnit, and then sez I:
“ ‘I’m your man.’
“Wal, a skiff tuck out the only jug, en Joe en I paddled from shore leisurely.
“ ‘A bob!’ yelled out Ransom, en we started.
“We was about ten rods apart, en neck-en-neck. On we swept like greased lightnin’, Joe leadin’ by ’bout two inches, I should guess. I had not look’t at Joe sens we left shore, but as we draw’d nigh the jug I seed he had his coat and jacket off. We was within ten foot of the jug, en both dropped paddles, en I shed my coat en jacket a leetle quicker’n common. Tha’ warn’t no misunderstandin’ between us then; en as the canoes come together, both grappled and went overboard, and underneath the water.”