But the bright moonlight bathed the bank in its radiance, the soft night wind murmured among the trees, and possibly certain sounds, such as the hooting of owls, or the barking of some honest watchdog, disturbed the silence of the night, yet there was no cause for alarm.

Morning came at last.

It had been decided that they might accept the kind offer of the storekeeper to a limited extent.  They would be foolish to allow a scruple to stand in the way.  Besides, even as it was, they stood to run up against trouble below, from a shortage of provisions.

So Maurice went ashore, and, seeking the store, was cordially greeted by the proprietor.

“Made up yuh mind tuh trade with me, sah?” asked Mr. Stallings, as he thrust out his lean brown hand in greeting.

“We have up to five dollars.  My chum refuses to get any deeper in debt.  And if you have no objections we’ll carry off a slab of breakfast bacon and some grits right now,” returned Maurice.

“Right glad you settled it that way.  I’d ben sorry tuh see yuh go on without some provisions, sah.  Pick out just what yuh want, an’ I’ll make a note o’ it.  But if so be ten dollars ’d seem better tuh yuh, don’t hang back,” went on the generous Southerner.

“I wouldn’t dare go one cent beyond the five, or Thad would be after my scalp.  And he’ll want to see the bill, too, depend on that.”

Maurice quickly returned to the boat, bearing the bacon and grits; for without the same their breakfast would have been slim, indeed.

Afterward they locked the cabin, and both ventured over to the general store; for Thad was determined that since the precious packet had to be delivered to George that morning, he was not going to let his chum have all the pleasure of bringing joy into the life of the poor family.

“Besides,” he added, when making his plea, “who knows what trouble you might meet up with on the road?  If the storekeeper hinted that it wasn’t right safe for strangers to be wandering around, perhaps you might be held up by some thieves.  Two would be better than one if that happened, you know.”

Maurice was well satisfied that it should be so; though he had not brought the subject forward, he hardly fancied the idea of taking that four mile jaunt and back, alone.

Besides, the possession of so much money was apt to arouse fears that might never have occurred to him otherwise.

So he had readily assented to the proposition of his chum.

Mr. Stallings was pleased to meet the second lad; and Thad quite took to the Southern storekeeper and woodyard proprietor at sight.

They remained long enough to get full directions concerning the road that would bring them to the desolate little home of George.

“I’d advise yuh tuh keep an eye out along the swamp, boys.  They’s a few bad coons somewhar in that thar place.  The sheriff he ’lows tuh git ’em right soon, an’ any day weuns hyah ’spect tuh see ’im drift in wid some prisoners.  I heard as how he had collected his posse three days back.  Keep that gun right handy, son; an’ if so be yuh have tuh shoot, make her tell!”