274 • WILD SPOETS IN THE SOUTH. 



to that of the savage, saying, as he did so, " Ingin Mike 

 will help his brother paddle his boat if he is tired." 



A keen glance and an impatient look proclaimed how 

 much the Seminole was averse to this polite offer. His 

 eye roved around the bayou as though expecting some 

 treachery, and then rested on Scipio's face and his mus- 

 ket that lay beside him. There seemed to be no help 

 for him, and if he had any suspicion as to Mike's inten- 

 tions, he could not confirm them from anything he saw in 

 the sun-browned face that confronted him. His hand 

 left his gun, and the ill-assorted couple commenced pad- 

 dhng down the lagoon, while Scii^io followed behind, his 

 white teeth glistening as he laughed at intervals a 

 low laugh, with a chorus of words and pectoral 

 chuckles. 



The surprise of our party was most unqualified as the 

 strange boat paddled out from the winding lagoon to the 

 open water, and took its place in the rear of the little 

 squadron. The negroes eyes opened with a language of 

 ejaculation that was louder than words, and Jackson 

 eyed it as a mallard drake would stare at a cormorant 

 who should dare to sail in among his brood. IS'othing, 

 however, was said of our visitor, though from front to 

 rear were passed many covert jokes at his expense. 

 We kept on our course industriously, and by noon 

 were all in the mouth of the river, and stopped for our 

 lunch and a little rest on an island, the smallest of a 

 group of three, that lay side by side. Jackson wanted 

 to stop at a larger island that we had just passed, but 



