Voices awakened him. He opened his eyes, and the surroundings were familiar. He smelled iodine, and saw a man looking over a doctor's case. Leaning against the wall of the cabin-boat was a tall, slender young man with arms folded. "How's he comin' Doc'?" the young man was saying. "He'll be all right. How long has he been this way?" "Don't know, Doc; he come down the riveh an' drifted into this eddy. I see his lips movin', so I jes' towed 'im in an' sent fo' yo'!" "Just as well, for that wound sure needed dressing. I 'low a horse doctor fixed hit first time," the physician declared. "He'll need some care now, but he's comin' along." "Oh, we'll look afteh him, Doc! Friend of ourn." "I'll come in to-morrow. It's written down what to do, and about that medicine. You can read?" "Howdy," Prebol muttered, feebly. "He's a comin' back, Doc!" the young man cried, starting up with interest. "Well, old sport, looks like you'd got mussed up some?" the doctor inquired. "Yas, suh," Prebol grinned, feebly, his senses curiously clear. "Hit don't pay none to mind a lady's business fo' her, no suh!" "A lady shot you, eh?" "Yas, suh," Prebol grinned. "'Peahs like I be'n floatin' about two mile high like a flock o' ducks. Where all mout I be?" "Little Prairie Bend." "Into that bar eddy theh?" "Yas, suh--the short eddy." "Much obliged, Doc. Co'se I'll pay yo'----" "Your friend's paid!" "Yas, suh," Prebol whispered, sleepily, tired by the exertion and excitement. "Sleep'll do him good," the doctor said, and returned to his little motorboat. The young man went on board his own boat which was moored just below Prebol's. As he entered the cabin, a burly, whiskered man looked up and said: "How's he coming, Slip?" "Doc says he's all right. Jest said a woman shot him for tryin' to mind her business, kind-a laughed about hit." "Theh! I always knowed a man that'd chase women the way he done'd git what's comin'. A woman'll make trouble quicker'n anything else on Gawd's earth, she will." "Sho! Buck, yo's soured!" "Hit's so 'bout them women!" Buck protested. "If a man'd mind his business, an' not try to mind their business, women'd be plumb amusin'," Slip laughed. "Wait'll yo've had experience," Buck retorted. "Shucks! Ain't I had experience?" "Eveh married?" "No-o." "Eveh have a lady sic' yo' onto some'n bigger'n yo' is?" "No-o; reckon I pick my own people to scrap." "Theh! That shows how much yo' don't know about women. Never had no woman yo' 'lowed to marry?" "Huh! Catch me gittin' married--co'se not." "Sonny, lemme tell yo'; hit ain't yo'll do the catchin', an' hit won't be yo' who'll be decidin' will yo' git married. An' hit won't be yo' who'll decide how long yo'll stay married, no, indeed." "Peah's like yo' got an awful grouch ag'in women, Buck."