Of course, Chap instantly demanded permission to go in the boat, and much to everybody’s surprise, the countess also said that she would like to go. It would be a relief from the monotony of sitting in the anchored steamboat. The promise of a small compensation made the two men very willing to row an extra load, and the countess and Chap, in company with the water-barrel, were pulled to the mainland. Here the two men set to work to fill the barrel, carrying the water in pails from the spring to the boat, and taking a good deal of time to do it, while Chap and the countess walked along the shore to survey the scene, the lady keeping a sharp lookout for any alligators that might be basking beneath the trees. The countess was very much disturbed at the interruption to her journey. “It is too bad,” she said, “that we are obliged to stay in this horrid place, and on that wretched little boat. There is no knowing how long we will have to wait here. The next thing will be that we will have to send ashore for something to eat as well as water to drink, and what they’ll find I’m sure I don’t know.” “I should think they’d send to the city for relief,” said Chap. “I suppose they will eventually,” the lady replied, “but they’ll have to wait for a steamboat to come along to do that. I don’t suppose they could row there.” At this moment she made an exclamation. They were now below the end of the island, and could see far down the river, which was here very wide. Two or three miles away was a large steamboat coming from the city. “Oh!” cried the countess; “do you see that? If I could only stop her, and get on board, I would go as far as she is going, and then come back in her to the city. Anything would be better than staying on that cramped-up little Winkyminky, with nothing to eat. I believe that would be the quickest way of getting to Jacksonville, and we would stop somewhere where I could telegraph to my husband. Oh! can’t we signal her?” “I’ll row out to her!” cried Chap. “I’ll stop her!” And turning, he ran as fast as he could to the place where the boat was hauled up. The men had just come down with a couple of pails of water, but when Chap promised them a dollar apiece to row him out to the approaching steamboat, they lifted out the barrel, half-filled with water, and attempted to push off the boat, but they found it stuck in the mud so tightly that it was almost impossible, and Chap raved and stamped at the fruitless result of their ill-managed efforts. The countess was now walking rapidly toward them, but Chap, hoping in his heart that nothing in the rules of aristocratic circles would prevent a fellow from wading in the mud in a good cause, pulled off his shoes and stockings, rolled up his trousers, and plunged in. By the united strength of the three the boat was soon afloat, and all jumped in. The negroes seized the oars, and Chap shouted to the lady that they would be back in no time.