CHAPTER IV
Mark soon discovered that Bob Billings was a light-hearted chap who took matters as they came, without making much fuss about things.
"I should have been mad if that man had robbed me," said the sailor boy. "But as he didn't get my money I'm going to drop the matter. But if I ever meet him again I'll give him a black eye, or else my name isn't Bob!"
"Hopeville is on the road we want to take," said Jed Dickson. "An' such bein' the case, we may as well travel together for a spell;" and so it was agreed.
As they journeyed along Bob Billings told much about himself. His parents had died while he was young, and he had been turned over to the care of an old sea captain who had taken him on several trips to Cuba and Porto Rico. Then the captain had died and Bob had shipped for the whaling voyage just mentioned. But whaling had not suited him and he said he was now going to stay ashore for some time and perhaps for good.
"Sailoring isn't what it is cracked up to be," said he. "The grub is poor and the hands are sometimes treated like dogs. I'll have to get the fever pretty bad before I go to sea again."
"I never had any desire to go to sea," said Mark. "I'd rather make my fortune on land."
"Where are you bound?"
"I've got a notion to strike out for California. But it's a long journey."
"You're right there. Heard about the gold, I suppose?"
"Yes."
"I heard about that myself. I met one man in Philadelphia who was crazy on the subject. He sold almost the shirt off his back to get money enough to buy a ticket on a steamer for Panama."
"I'd rather go overland—I think it would be more fun."
"You'll have the Rocky Mountains to climb," put in Jed Dickson. "Won't be no fun in that—especially if you're out there in the winter time!"
"Oh, I don't mind the cold so much."
"I've been thinking of going to California myself," resumed Bob Billings. "But I want to see how old Aunt Betsey is first. Maybe she will want me to stay with her for a spell. She didn't use to care for me, but maybe she is changed now."
Hopeville was reached about supper time, and Mark and Jed Dickson put up at the local tavern, while Bob Billings went off to find his aunt, whom he had not seen in three years.
"He's a nice sort," said Mark. "If I went to California I'd like to have him along."
An hour passed and they were just finishing their supper when the sailor boy reappeared. His face wore a sober look.
"I've had bad news," said he, dropping into a chair. "My aunt died nearly a year ago. They sent me a letter about it, but it never reached me."
"That's hard luck," said Mark, sympathetically.
"Did she leave any money?" questioned the matter-of-fact Dickson.
"Left about a hundred dollars, so they tell me, and that was used to pay her funeral expenses. They sold off her things, and a lawyer is keeping about another hundred in trust for me. But I'd rather Aunt Betsey was alive. Now I'm utterly alone in the world."
Bob Billings put up at the hotel, going into a room with Mark. Before retiring the two became quite confidential.
"So you're running away," said Bob, on hearing Mark's story. "Well, I don't blame you, if your step-father is that sort. I'd cut sticks myself. I hope you make your pile, if you ever reach California."
"Don't you want to go, now you are all alone?"
"Yes, I do, and there's my hand on it!"
The boys shook hands warmly—and from that moment they were chums. They talked over many things, and Mark confessed that he had but five dollars and a quarter left of the amount with which he had started.
"Never mind, I've got quite a pile," answered Bob.
"But I don't want to sponge on you, Bob."
"I'll make you a loan of twenty-five dollars," replied the sailor boy, producing the money. "I haven't forgotten how you saved me from being robbed. If it hadn't been for you and Dickson I'd be penniless."
"Well, I'll take the money as a loan—when what I have on hand is gone," answered Mark.
It was decided that Mark should remain at Hopeville with Bob for a few days, and in the morning the two boys bid good-by to Jed Dickson. As a keepsake, and for his kindness in assisting Bob, the sailor boy presented Dickson with a fancy watch charm, for which the man was very thankful.
"Hope we meet again some day," said Dickson to both boys. "Maybe in the gold diggings, eh?"
"Perhaps," answered Mark. As yet, California seemed a long way off.
During the day Bob saw the lawyer who had the money left by the sailor boy's aunt. There was a little trouble about getting the lawyer to turn the money over to Bob—he not being of age—but finally the matter was straightened out and Bob found himself exactly ninety-five dollars richer than before.
"Now, take my advice and be careful of your cash," said the lawyer.
"I'm going to California," answered Bob. "And I'm going to take my friend here with me."
"Indeed! It's a long trip for boys!"
"I guess we'll get through somehow," said Bob, lightly.
When the two boys were by themselves, Bob insisted that Mark should carry exactly half the money.
"If we are going to be partners, you've got to shoulder half the responsibility," said the sailor boy.
"Partners it is!" cried Mark. "Say, Bob, you're the right sort, and I like you tremendously!"
"And I like you. Shake! We're partners from this minute forward. If we reach California and get any gold——"
"It's share and share alike," finished Mark. "I hope we get a ton or two of nuggets!"
"A ton! You don't want much! Why didn't you say ten tons while you were about it? Now I'd like to find a nugget about as big as—as——"
"Your head," finished Mark.
"Well, that would be plenty large enough, I'm certain."
On the next day the journey westward was resumed. They went partly by stage and then struck a coal road and got a "lift" on one of the cars. After that came a journey on one of the streams flowing into the Ohio. Then they got aboard a flatboat bound for the Mississippi.
"This is something like," said Bob, as they watched the boat glide along. The flatboat was of fair size and carried twenty or thirty passengers. The deckhands were negroes and they sang as they worked. The furnace on the craft burnt wood, and they often had to make a landing at a yard along the river bank, to get fresh fuel aboard.
They were making one of these landings when the two boys saw a lively discussion going on between two men. One was trying to sell a good-sized scow to the other for ten dollars. The other man, however, wanted to give only five dollars.
"Say, we might take that scow!" cried Mark. "We could easily float down to the Mississippi in it and then sell it at Cairo, or some other point. We could take provisions along, and such traveling would be very cheap."
"Let's do it!" cried Bob. The idea of navigating a craft of their own appealed to him, in spite of the fact that he wanted no more of life on the ocean.
They went ashore, and after a few minutes' talk bought the scow for eight dollars. Then, from a nearby farmer, they procured some provisions, and by nightfall were on their way westward once more.
"Let's call the scowEldorado," cried Mark. "And you are now Captain Bob."
"What does Eldorado mean?" questioned Bob. "I hear them talking of California as an Eldorado."
"It means Golden—the Land of Gold," answered Mark.
"Well, this scow isn't golden—it's mud-color, Mark."
"Oh, I was only getting poetic, Bob."
"All right then,Eldoradoit is, and if I'm to be captain you'll have to be first mate and the whole crew," came from Bob, merrily.
The scow was provided with a mast and a sail, and, the wind being favorable, they put up the sheet, Bob showing Mark how to fasten it in true nautical style. There was a long sweep at the stern for a rudder, and the sailor boy sat by it, to keep the scow to her course down the river.
"We'll have to go ashore when we want to cook food," said Mark. "We won't dare to make a fire on board."
"Well, what's the odds? Our time is our own."
"That's true, too."
"I shouldn't mind making the whole trip in this scow."
Two days went by and they made rapid progress down the Ohio. They had some trouble at the rapids, but nothing serious. Then came a day of mist and rain.
"This isn't so pleasant," observed the sailor boy. "We ought to hang out a danger signal, or we may run into something."
It soon began to thunder and lighten, and fearing the craft might be struck, they ran up to the river bank and tied fast. Scarcely had this been accomplished than the water came down in a perfect flood.
They had already covered their provisions with the sail, and now they did what they could to keep the goods from getting soaked. The rain continued to come down, and to protect themselves they hurried away to where a clump of trees afforded something of a shelter. Here they remained the best part of an hour, when the wind shifted and the storm cleared away rapidly, along with the mist.
"Let us get back to the boat," said Mark, and started out, followed by Bob. The river bank was soon reached and they gazed around them in consternation. The scow was gone!