6/63 He returned Gabriel's maledictions with bows and smiles. They shot rapidly away on the yellow flood and were soon far below Bayou Goula. As night came on, Paul requested Brown to light his lantern and get ahead. Brown lit the lantern, but insisted on keeping behind instead of taking the lead. To all Paul's remonstrances he would reply: "Yo' doin' all right, Capen, jus' go right 'long, right 'long, sah." Paul soon discovered that the negro knew far less about the river than he knew himself and so he threatened that if Mr.Brown did not keep up, he would be tempted to dump him overboard, where he could renew his acquaintance with his old friends the cat fish. |