Page:Raymond Spears--Diamond Tolls.djvu/70

 a thousand dollars in cold cash. Hue-e! But she's shore a handsome gal! Why, 'f I'd a-knowed she was alone, that day she dropped down by my boat above Cairo, I'd cut right out an' interduced myself. Dad blest hit! Seems like a man's thicker-headed 'an a blue cat!"

Accordingly, hurrying down the river with his forty-foot shantyboat, towed by a four-horsepower open launch. Junker Frest pulled out of Putney Bend and tripping night and day, except to land in at New Madrid, Carruthersville, and other towns, to find out where Delia was when last heard of, he overtook the Delia-Mahna fleet tied in at the foot of Yankee Bar, where they were hunting.

He was surprised to see the gasolene cruiser hooked between the two shantyboats. It was a nice cruiser, but when he saw it last, a fellow of the name of Gost, but known, too, as White Collar Dan, said it wasn't for sale at any price. Gost was an old river man, himself, having tripped Upper, Lower, Missouri, Red, and Yazoo rivers, at one time and another, besides being an up-the-bank grafter.

"Hullo, Mrs. Mahna!" Frest greeted the noted river lady. "How do you hook?"

"Oh, fair to middlin', and not consequential, you might say. Hearn you wrecked a big stillery up the Ohio?"