Page:Raymond Spears--Diamond Tolls.djvu/188

 tossing in his sleep. Gost was mumbling, as he had mumbled a good deal the past two or three nights. He had left the hospital too soon, and the river was not thoroughly agreeing with him.

"She's got 'em!" Gost muttered, "nobody'd throw 'em oveh! She's got 'em! I bet I get 'em back, if I burn her feet off!"

Urleigh gave the sick man some medicine which quieted him. Then he filled in his notebook with the work of the day which he had found intensely strange and interesting. All day long he had seemed to be on the brim of a volcano about to become active—yet the river people had somehow evaded conflict and trouble.

He, too, went to sleep at last, and it was late when he awakened. Gost was just getting up. When they looked out on the shantyboat town only two or three people were abroad. Everyone was sleepy, and looked it.

Urleigh walked along the bank and at Mahna's boat he stopped. The girl Delia's motorboat was no longer moored alongside it. He looked up and down the bank, wondering why she had changed her berth. As he stood there, Mrs. Mahna stepped out on the deck

"Well, looks like she'd give you the slip, don't it?"

"Give me the slip?" he repeated.