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fourth morning； Arkansas got drunk and sat himself down to wait for an
opportunity。 Presently Johnson came in； just comfortably sociable with
whisky； and said：
〃I reckon the Pennsylvania 'lection〃
Arkansas raised his finger impressively and Johnson stopped。 Arkansas
rose unsteadily and confronted him。 Said he：
〃Wha…what do you know aabout Pennsylvania？ Answer me that。 Whawhat
do you know 'bout Pennsylvania？〃
〃I was only goin' to say〃
〃You was only goin' to say。 You was！ You was only goin' to saywhat
was you goin' to say？ That's it！ That's what I want to know。 I want to
know whawhat you （'ic） what you know about Pennsylvania； since you're
makin' yourself so d…d free。 Answer me that！〃
〃Mr。 Arkansas； if you'd only let me〃
〃Who's a henderin' you？ Don't you insinuate nothing agin me！don't you
do it。 Don't you come in here bullyin' around； and cussin' and goin' on
like a lunaticdon't you do it。 'Coz I won't stand it。 If fight's what
you want； out with it！ I'm your man！ Out with it！〃
Said Johnson； backing into a corner； Arkansas following； menacingly：
〃Why； I never said nothing； Mr。 Arkansas。 You don't give a man no
chance。 I was only goin' to say that Pennsylvania was goin' to have an
election next weekthat was allthat was everything I was goin' to say
I wish I may never stir if it wasn't。〃
〃Well then why d'n't you say it？ What did you come swellin' around that
way for； and tryin' to raise trouble？〃
〃Why I didn't come swellin' around； Mr。 ArkansasI just〃
〃I'm a liar am I！ Ger…reat Caesar's ghost〃
〃Oh； please； Mr。 Arkansas； I never meant such a thing as that； I wish I
may die if I did。 All the boys will tell you that I've always spoke well
of you； and respected you more'n any man in the house。 Ask Smith。 Ain't
it so； Smith？ Didn't I say； no longer ago than last night； that for a
man that was a gentleman all the time and every way you took him； give me
Arkansas？ I'll leave it to any gentleman here if them warn't the very
words I used。 Come； now； Mr。 Arkansas； le's take a drinkle's shake
hands and take a drink。 Come upeverybody！ It's my treat。 Come up；
Bill； Tom； Bob； Scottycome up。 I want you all to take a drink with me
and Arkansasold Arkansas； I call himbully old Arkansas。 Gimme your
hand agin。 Look at him； boysjust take a look at him。 Thar stands the
whitest man in America！and the man that denies it has got to fight me；
that's all。 Gimme that old flipper agin！〃
They embraced； with drunken affection on the landlord's part and
unresponsive toleration on the part of Arkansas； who； bribed by a drink；
was disappointed of his prey once more。 But the foolish landlord was so
happy to have escaped butchery； that he went on talking when he ought to
have marched himself out of danger。 The consequence was that Arkansas
shortly began to glower upon him dangerously； and presently said：
〃Lan'lord； will you p…please make that remark over agin if you please？〃
〃I was a…sayin' to Scotty that my father was up'ards of eighty year old
when he died。〃
〃Was that all that you said？〃
〃Yes； that was all。〃
〃Didn't say nothing but that？〃
〃Nonothing。〃
Then an uncomfortable silence。
Arkansas played with his glass a moment； lolling on his elbows on the
counter。 Then he meditatively scratched his left shin with his right
boot； while the awkward silence continued。 But presently he loafed away
toward the stove； looking dissatisfied； roughly shouldered two or three
men out of a comfortable position； occupied it himself； gave a sleeping
dog a kick that sent him howling under a bench； then spread his long legs
and his blanket…coat tails apart and proceeded to warm his back。 In a
little while he fell to grumbling to himself； and soon he slouched back
to the bar and said：
〃Lan'lord； what's your idea for rakin' up old personalities and blowin'
about your father？ Ain't this company agreeable to you？ Ain't it？ If
this company ain't agreeable to you； p'r'aps we'd better leave。 Is that
your idea？ Is that what you're coming at？〃
〃Why bless your soul； Arkansas； I warn't thinking of such a thing。 My
father and my mother〃
〃Lan'lord； don't crowd a man！ Don't do it。 If nothing'll do you but a
disturbance； out with it like a man （'ic）but don't rake up old bygones
and fling'em in the teeth of a passel of people that wants to be
peaceable if they could git a chance。 What's the matter with you this
mornin'； anyway？ I never see a man carry on so。〃
〃Arkansas； I reely didn't mean no harm； and I won't go on with it if it's
onpleasant to you。 I reckon my licker's got into my head； and what with
the flood； and havin' so many to feed and look out for〃
〃So that's what's a…ranklin' in your heart； is it？ You want us to leave
do you？ There's too many on us。 You want us to pack up and swim。 Is
that it？ Come！〃
〃Please be reasonable； Arkansas。 Now you know that I ain't the man to〃
〃Are you a threatenin' me？ Are you？ By George； the man don't live that
can skeer me！ Don't you try to come that game； my chicken'cuz I can
stand a good deal； but I won't stand that。 Come out from behind that bar
till I clean you！ You want to drive us out； do you； you sneakin'
underhanded hound！ Come out from behind that bar！ I'll learn you to
bully and badger and browbeat a gentleman that's forever trying to
befriend you and keep you out of trouble！〃
〃Please； Arkansas； please don't shoot！ If there's got to be bloodshed〃
〃Do you hear that； gentlemen？ Do you hear him talk about bloodshed？ So
it's blood you want； is it； you ravin' desperado！ You'd made up your
mind to murder somebody this mornin'I knowed it perfectly well。 I'm
the man； am I？ It's me you're goin' to murder； is it？ But you can't do
it 'thout I get one chance first； you thievin' black…hearted； white…
livered son of a nigger！ Draw your weepon！〃
With that； Arkansas began to shoot； and the landlord to clamber over
benches； men and every sort of obstacle in a frantic desire to escape。
In the midst of the wild hubbub the landlord crashed through a glass
door； and as Arkansas charged after him the landlord's wife suddenly
appeared in the doorway and confronted the desperado with a pair of
scissors！ Her fury was magnificent。 With head erect and flashing eye
she stood a moment and then advanced； with her weapon raised。 The
astonished ruffian hesitated； and then fell back a step。 She followed。
She backed him step by step into the middle of the bar…room； and then；
while the wondering crowd closed up and gazed； she gave him such another
tongue…lashing as never a cowed and shamefaced braggart got before；
perhaps！ As she finished and retired victorious； a roar of applause
shook the house； and every man ordered 〃drinks for the crowd〃 in one and
the same breath。
The lesson was entirely sufficient。 The reign of terror was over； and
the Arkansas domination broken for good。 During the rest of the season
of island captivity； there was one man who sat apart in a state of
permanent humiliation； never mixing in any quarrel or uttering a boast；
and never resenting the insults the once cringing crew now constantly
leveled at him； and that man was 〃Arkansas。〃
By the fifth or sixth morning the waters had subsided from the land； but
the stream in the old river bed was still high and swift and there was no
possibility of crossing it。 On the eighth it was still too high for an
entirely safe passage； but life in the inn had become next to
insupportable by reason of the dirt； drunkenness； fighting； etc。； and so
we made an effort to get away。 In the midst of a heavy snow…storm we
embarked in a canoe； taking our saddles aboard and towing our horses
after us by their halters。 The Prussian； Ollendorff； was in the bow；
with a paddle； Ballou paddled in the middle； and I sat in the stern
holding the halters。 When the horses lost their footing and began to
swim； Ollendorff got frightened； for there was great danger that the
horses would make our aim uncertain； and it was plain that if we failed
to land at a certain spot the current would throw us off and almost
surely cast us into the main Carson； which was a boiling torrent； now。
Such a catastrophe would be death； in all probability； for we would be
swept to sea in the 〃Sink〃 or overturned and drowned。 We warned
Ollendorff to keep his wits about him and handle himself carefully； but
it was useless； the moment the bow touched the bank； he made a spring and
the canoe whirled upside down in ten…foot water。
Ollendorff seized some brush and dragged himself ashore； but Ballou and I
had to swim for it； encumbered with our overcoats。 But we held on to the
canoe； and although we were washed down nearly to the Carson； we managed
to push the boat ashore and make a safe landing。 We were cold and water…
soaked； but safe。 The horses made a landing； too； but our saddles were
gone； of course。 We tied the animals in the sage…brush and there they
had to stay for twenty…four hours。 We baled out the canoe and ferried
over some food and blankets for them； but we slept one more night in the
inn before making another venture on our journey。
The next morning it was still snowing furiousl