The Wrong Man — page 60: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

> eet =, ‘ 62 THE WRONG MAN. shes part of the vessel, in a half-bent posture, pushing the boat orward in the painful manner practiced upon the western riv ers before the introduction of steam navigation. “Now, then, for a reverend set, and head her off!” cried s siout, broad-shouldered, half-naked boatman, who seemed to be # leading spirit among the crew. “T wonder what’s got into Biil Sawyer to shy off so," grunbled another, in an undertone, showing that what he said Was not meant for the ears of the helmsman. “ Hugh Overton — knows no more about a steering oar than a steering oar knows ahout him. See, he yaws herabout like » Yankee moving-boat in a hurricane. I'd give a smart chance myself if Ned Overton had been going the trip instead of him.” “Mark my words, Jim,” said the first speaker, as the hands returned in Indian fle, trailing their poles toward the bow of the boat, “ you'll see Ned Overton aboard this craft afore the ‘from which they night’s over.” “ What makes you reckon so ?” “ Reckon! I don't reckon at all—I’m as good as sartain. I've kept my eye on him and Hugh, and I know there’s some wild piece of devilment going on atwixt them. But that’s none of thie night Just you memorize what I say—he'll be aboard this night.” “TI wish he may,” answered the other, “either him or Bill Sawyer, or some patron that’s up to bushwhacking; or else it won't be long after we're in the wicked Massissip afore we find ourselves spitted on a snag, or tossed on the top of a wreck- heap. Well, there’s this to say for Hugh, anyhow,” observed an- other of the crew, “ he did wait for Sawyer as long as any white man could expect in reason; for you know he was monstrous fidgety to set off by sundown.” he keel-boat, during this short dialogue, had drawn so near to the object in the water, that it was now plainly perceived to bea corpse; and the interest which this circumstance occa- sioned a a temporary peuse to conversation. The body, ou being lifted aboard, was at once recognized as that of Edward Overton, and the pou of blood u his dress, and the wound ad flowed, made it evident he had.come to his death by violence. The course of the boat was now turned toward Adrianopolis, which lay on the right bank, a little further down the river. In a few niinutes the léng and heavily-modeled vessel elided in under the bluff on which the town was situated. On being © made fast, its inmates proceeded to climb the bank, two of thew. bearing the corpse upon their tae. os C@fnlicloveye) . . a iy 2 ~~ -~s ="