Many of the words were composed as they sang, and Mark and Ruth could not help laughing at some of them, which, though sung very soberly, sounded funny.

One song which they afterwards remembered was: "Oh, dey put John on de islan' When de Bridegroom come; Yes, dey put John on de islan' When de Bridegroom come; An' de rabens come an' fed him When de Bridegroom come; Yes, de rabens come an' fed him When de Bridegroom come.
An' five of dem was wise When de Bridegroom come; Yes, five of dem was wise When de Bridegroom come; An' five of dem was foolish When de Bridegroom come; Yes, five of dem was foolish When de Bridegroom come.
Oh, gib us of yo' ile When de Bridegroom come; Oh, gib us of yo' ile When de Bridegroom come; Fo' you'll nebber get to heaben When de Bridegroom come; No, you'll nebber get to heaben When de Bridegroom come; Aless you's ile a-plenty When de Bridegroom come; Aless you's ile a-plenty When de Bridegroom come." In the midst of the singing a voice called out from the tree-tops, "Who, who, who, who's there ?" or at least so it sounded.
Immediately the singing stopped, and one of the negroes answered, "Some folkses from de Norf, Marse Owl, an' Cap'n Johnsin, an' me, an' Homer, an' Virgil, an' Pete." "What does he mean by that ?" asked Mr.Elmer of the captain.
"Oh," answered he, "it's one of their superstitions that they'll have bad luck if they don't answer an owl politely when he asks 'Who's there ?' and give the names of all the party, if they know them." Soon after this all hands sought their blankets, good-nights were said, the fire died down, and all was quiet in the camp, though several times some sleepy negro roused himself sufficiently to answer the owl's repeated question of "Who's there ?" It must have been nearly midnight when the camp was startled by a crash, a series of smothered cries, and a loud splashing in the water.
It was evident that something serious had happened, but what it was no one could make out in the darkness..