“Never mind,” said Pete, who was keeping his mules close to the tail of the hindmost cart. “There’s a place up here where I can pass ’em, and then you’ll see me cut ahead.” In a few minutes an open place in the woods was reached, where, for a short distance, there were two wagon tracks side by side, the road having been changed, the original track being in a soft place, and full of ruts and mud-holes. The moment he reached this old road, Pete dashed into it, whipping his mules into their wildest gallop. The wagon bumped and jolted over the rough places, the valises nearly bouncing out, while the boys were obliged to hold fast to their seats. The horses and the carts were put to the top of their speed, and having the best road, seemed likely to keep ahead of the wagon. But Pete was not to be defeated. He had waited patiently for this opportunity of passing, and he was bound to pass. The tough muscles of his mules seemed able to pull the wagon at full speed over any road, without a thought of tiring, while the horses and the heavily-laden carts were beginning to flag. With a crack of his heavy whip and a yell of triumph, Pete plunged ahead, and dashed into the other road a dozen yards in advance of the foremost cart. “Hurrah!” cried Adam. “Now we can cut right along for the boat.” “Dat’s so,” said Pete, his eyes sparkling and his mouth in a broad grin. “We’s done beat ’em! Dere ain’t no other place where they can pass, even if they could kitch up.” “Which they can’t do,” said Adam. “There ain’t no more run in them horses.” The three boys looked back. In the front cart was an old gentleman and an elderly lady, apparently his wife. These sat on one seat, while another lady, holding a little girl, sat on some luggage, and the driver, a negro boy, perched himself on a trunk in the front of the cart. In the second cart were two ladies, a short gentleman, in blue-flannel shirt and high boots, and a number of children, apparently all girls. These were piled upon valises and various articles of baggage, and altogether made a pretty heavy load for one horse. The hindmost cart now stopped, and the gentleman and two or three of the girls got out and walked to ease the poor horse. Both carts then came on at a slow pace, the party evidently having given up the hope of reaching the steamboat in time to be well accommodated. The boys now looked at each other. “Look here!” said Phil. “Fellows!” exclaimed Chap, at the same moment. “That’s so!” said Phœnix, as if he had known what the others were thinking of. “Stop!” cried Phil to Pete. The astonished negro drew up his mules, and Adam looked around. “Let’s take some of those children in here,” said Phil. “That’s so,” said Chap. “That’s just what I was going to say.” “Plenty of room here,” said Phœnix. “A big wagon, and no baggage to speak of.” “Yes,” said Phil, “and I think it would be a mean thing for us to go ahead, and get good rooms on the boat, and cut out all these ladies and children.”