The carriage drew up opposite the boat, and Emily Dumont and Jaspar
alighted from it. Picking their way through the crowd of dealers in
cigars, shells, and obscene books, who had just been ejected from the
boat, they were soon on board. A few moments' delay in getting up the
baggage of the new comers, and the welcome "cast off the fasts and haul
in the plank" was again heard. The rapid jingling of the engineer's bell
succeeded, and, to the joy of some three hundred souls on board, she
backed out into the stream and commenced her voyage. Uncle Nathan
breathed freely; the load of anxiety which had oppressed him was
removed. But his joy was short-lived, for Henry Carroll informed him
that the boat was headed _down_ river!
"What in all natur' can be the meanin' of this?" exclaimed our
Northerner, wofully perplexed.
"I cannot tell," replied Henry; "but I am much afraid we shall yet have
to stay over Sunday in New Orleans."
"The Lord deliver me!" ejaculated Uncle Nathan. "I will go into the
swamp back of the city, afore I will look upon the iniquities of that
Sodom again.
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