1 The mighty river lay like an ocean at rest.
2 The raft drew beyond the middle of the river; the boys pointed her head right, and then lay on their oars.
3 The river was not high, so there was not more than a two or three mile current.
4 They moved up the river street three blocks, then turned to the left up a crossstreet.
5 The public were profoundly concerned; they searched high and low, they dragged the river for his body.
6 I like the woods, and the river, and hogsheads, and I'll stick to 'em, too.'
7 So we unhitched a skiff and pulled down the river two mile and a half, to the big scar on the hillside, and went ashore.
8 Well, about this time he was found in the river drownded, about twelve mile above town, so people said.
9 He abused me a little for being so slow; but I told him I fell in the river, and that was what made me so long.
10 The river was coming up pretty fast, and lots of driftwood going by on the rise.
11 I says to myself, they'll follow the track of that sackful of rocks to the shore and then drag the river for me.
12 They won't ever hunt the river for anything but my dead carcass.
13 The river looked miles and miles across.
14 Well, when it come dark I tuck out up de river road, en went 'bout two mile er more to whah dey warn't no houses.'
15 The river went on raising and raising for ten or twelve days, till at last it was over the banks.