"I'm glad to git to see yo'," he said, feebly. "If I'd knowed yo', I shore would have minded my own business. I'm bad, Missy Carline, but I ain' mean--not much. Leastwise, not about women. I reckon the boys shore will let yo' be now. I made a mistake, an' I 'low to 'pologise to yo'." "I was--I was scairt to death," she cried, sitting in a chair. "I was all alone. I was afraid--the river was so big that night. I was so far away. I should have given you fair warning. I'm sorry, too, Jest." "Lawse!" Prebol choked. "Say hit thataway ag'in----" "I'm sorry, too, Jest!" "I cayn't thank yo' all enough," the man-whispered. "I've got friends along down the riveh. I'll send word along to them, they'll shore treat yo' nice. Treat friends of yourn nice, too. Huh! 'Pologizin' to me afteh what I 'lowed to do!" "We'll be good friends, Jest. The Prophet here and I are good friends, too. Aren't we, Parson?" "I hearn say, Missy," the Prophet said, slowly, picking his words, "I hearn say you've a power and a heap of book learning! Books on yo' boat, all kinds. What favoured yo' thataway?" "Oh, I read lots!" she exclaimed, surprised by the sudden shift of thought. "Somehow, I've read lots!" "In my house I had a Bible, an almanac, and the 'Resources of Tennessee,' Yo' have that many books?" "Why, I've a hundred--more than a hundred books!" she answered. "A Bible?" "Yes." "Would you mind, Missy, comin' on board this boat to-night, an' tellin' us about these books you have? I'm not educated; my daddy an' I read the Bible, an' tried to understand hit. Seems like we neveh did git to know the biggest and bestest of the words." "You had a dictionary?" "A which?" "A dictionary, a book that explains the meaning of all the words!" "Ho law! A book that tells what words mean, Missy. Where all kin a man git to find one of them books?" "Why, I've got----I'm hungry, Mr. Rasba, I must get something to eat. After supper we'll bring some books over here and talk about them!" "My supper is all ready, keeping warm in the oven," Rasba said. "I always cook enough for one more than there is. Yo' know, a vacant chair at the table for the Stranger." "And I came?" she laughed. "An' yo' came, Missy!" he replied. "Parson," Prebol pleaded, "I'm alone mos' the time. Mout yo' two eat hyar on my bo't? The table--hit'd be comp'ny." "Certainly we'll come," Nelia promised, "if he'd just soon." "I'd rather," Rasba assented, and at his tone Nelia felt a curious sensation of pity and mischievousness. At the same time, she recovered her self-possession. She demanded that Rasba let her help him bring over the supper, add a feminine relish, and set the table with a daintiness which was an addition to the fascination of her presence. Gaily she fed Prebol the delicate things which he was permitted to eat, then sat down with Rasba, her face to the light, and Prebol could watch her bantering, teasing, teaching Parson Rasba things he had never known he lacked.