Paul rated him soundly for his tardiness.

The reporter was sound asleep, doubled up in a pile of hay at the bottom of the boat.

At five o'clock that evening, exactly twenty-four hours after they started, they tied up at the levee in New Orleans where they were received by about ten thousand people, who covered the levee and crowded the deck of the steamers.
While resting in New Orleans after his run, Paul was waited on by a party of gentlemen, who announced themselves as a committee appointed to call on him and see if they could induce him to give an exhibition in......, an interesting little town up the river.
"Have you got any water that can be enclosed ?" Paul inquired.
They said they had a beautiful little lake right back of the town that could be properly fenced, so that no one could look on without paying.
They promised that Captain Boyton should have the entire receipts, and that they would make it a gala day providing he would come up, and assured him of the warmest kind of reception.

"We'll have music too," added one of the committee men.
Being so assured, Paul promised to be on hand.

The committee started for home where they commenced to rouse the country.