Fishin's no good here now. River was
a pardise for Trontah folks wunst, but it's clean fished out. I seen
fellers go to a ho-ul up thayer," said the supposed Ben, pointing in the
opposite direction, "and take out a hull barl-ful afore sundown. 'Taint
to be did, not now, wuss luck! Wait to I come down, and I'll haylp you
off with that kinew."
The speaker descended, untied the frayed painter, and hauled the
dug-out to a point where, the bank being higher, embarkation was more
easy. He dissuaded the navigators from sitting on the boards placed over
the gunwales, as likely to be, what he called, parlous, and recommended
that the boards be placed on the floor of the craft to keep the water
off their "paants." The fishermen consented, and sat down safely at each
end facing one another, with his assistance to hold the dug-out steady,
the dominie in the bow and the lawyer in the stern. They thanked their
ally, bade him good afternoon, and proceeded to paddle. Ben Toner
laughed, and cried to Coristine: "I'll lay two to one on you, Mister,
for you've got the curnt to haylp you." The dugout, in spite of the
schoolmaster's fierce paddling, was moving corkscrew-like in the
opposite direction, owing largely to the current, but partly to the
superior height of the lawyer, which gave his paddle a longer sweep.
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