benefactor came without my knowing it, and the strangeness of it all has closed my lips till now; but it recurs to me at this time, to add to the mournfulness of the picture as I look back to that far-off parting on the great river in May, 1838. *CHAPTER XXI* *WHAT THE CANTEENS HELD* One evening, some days after leaving Quincy, we again ran across Blott, and seemingly not different from what he was at first. Accosting him, Uncle Job asked: "How do you find yourself to-night, Blott?" but this as if seeking diversion rather than from any interest in the poor wretch. "Oh, I’m just runnin’ by gravity. The insects is botherin’ me, but not’s bad, not’s bad. Why, they made more noise than a fannin’ mill at one time, givin’ me no peace, nor lettin’ me sleep," Blott answered, kicking mechanically at some object before him. "Tell me," he went on, with the old scared look, "how’re the stars appearin’ to you to-night, Mr. Job? Sorty as if rain was comin’?" "No; how do they look to you?" "Like red blotches with purple rings about ’em, an’ movin’ here an’ there quick, as if they was alive." "You are ill, Blott," Uncle Job answered, sympathetically. "No; it’s nothin’ but them toothache drops, an’ it’ll work off. You think it’s whisky, mebbe, but it ain’t, for I’ve drunk it for years, an’ it’s never hurt me before, an’ I don’t believe it’ll hurt any one. No; it’s the drops an’ the malary," Blott answered. "What makes you think you have malaria, Blott?" Uncle Job asked. "Why, I’ve had it ever since Black Hawk’s war, six years ago. It come of sleepin’ out nights." "Were you in that war?" Uncle Job asked, his voice showing more interest. "Was I? I was one of the main guys; had a horse, an’ helped pull the cannon an’ things. The malary come on me first at Stillman’s Run, where Black Hawk scart us stiff." "Is that why the battle is called Stillman’s Run?" "It wa’n’t a battle, just a volley an’ a whoop an’ a scramble to git away. Why we were that scart you could have stood on our coat-tails, they stuck out so." "Tell us about it; I am sure it must be interesting," Uncle Job responded, offering Blott a chair and taking one himself.[*] [*] In Mr. Holmes’ references to Blott he at first manifested some impatience with was not strenuous in the matter and so I have included it, feeling it worthy of regard because relating to an historical event of great importance to the people of the Upper Mississippi Valley, in which Blott took a part.—THE AUTHOR.