320 /,/^ ON THE

f But are you serious I '

' Serious 1 I certainly am.'

* The captain glanced up at the pilot-house and said -
« He wants to get off at Napoleon 1 '

* Napoleon f '

* That's what he says/

* Great Caesar's ghost ! '

Uncle Mumford approached along the deck. The captain said —

* Uncle, here's a friend of yours wants to get off at Napoleon ! '

* Well, by - r
I said—

* Come, what is all this about 1 Can't a man go ashore at Napo-
leon if he wants to ? '

* Why, hang it, don't you know ? There isn't any Napoleon
any more. Hasn't been for years and years. The Arkansas River
bttrst through it, tore it all to rags, and emptied it into the Missis-
sippi J *

* Carried the whole town away ? — banks, churches, jails, news-
paper-offices, court-house, theatre, fire department, livery stable —
everything ? *

* Everything. Just a fifteen-minute job, or such a matter. Didn't
leave hide nor hair, shred nor shingle of it, except the fag-end of a
shanty and one brick chimney. This boat is paddling along right
now, where the dead-centre of that town used to be ; yonder is the
brick chimney — all that's lefb of Napoleon. These dense woods on
the right used to be a mile back of the town. Take a look behind
you — up-stream. — now you begin to recognise this country, don't

* Yes, I do recognise it now. It is the most wonderful thing I
ever heard of; by a long shot the most wonderful — and unexpected.'
Mr. Thompson and Mr. Rogers had arrived, meantime, with
satchels and umbrellas, and had silently listened to the captain's aews.
Thompson put a half-dollar in my hand and said softly —
* For my share of the chromo.*
Rogers followed suit.
Yes, it was an astonishing thing to see the Mississippi rolling
between unpeopled shores and straight over the spot where I used to