Coffee and tea were so rare in the wilderness that they were valued like precious treasures.

Then they packed their things and started, pulling out into the middle of the stream and giving the current only a little assistance with the oars.
"One thing is shore," said Shif'less Sol, lolling luxuriously on a locker, "that Spanish gang can't git away from us.

All we've got to do is to float along ez easy ez you please, an' we'll find 'em right in the middle o' the road." "It does beat walkin'," said Jim Hart, with equal content, "but this is shorely a pow'ful big river.

I never seed so much muddy water afore in my life." "It's a good river, a kind river," said Paul, "because it's taking us right to its bosom, and carrying us on where we want to go with but little trouble to us." It was to Paul, the most imaginative of them all, to whom the mighty river made the greatest appeal.

It seemed beneficent and kindly to him, a friend in need.