"The Mississippi," returned the brothers. They were too engrossed
by their first glimpse of the "Father of Waters" to correct the
German as he struggled to pronounce the name.

"Oh, look at the funny boats!" exclaimed Tom, pointing to the long
line of river steamers that were tied up at the levee. "What are
those things on the back end?"

"They are the paddle wheels. I know, because I've looked at
pictures like them in my geography," replied Larry. "They have the
paddle wheels on the end because the water is so shallow in places."

It was Just after noon that the two chums and Hans were vouchsafed
a glimpse of real "dyed-in-the-wool" cowboys.

The train had stopped at a crossing, as stations are known in
Oklahoma, because of a hot-box on one of the wheels.

Learning that it would be all of a quarter of an hour before the
trouble could be repaired, the boys had left their car and were
filling their lungs with the bracing air.

It chanced that a gang of cowboys had ridden Into the town for a
celebration and, as it was unusual for a train to stop for any
length of time at the crossing, they rode up to find out the reason.

For a few minutes they contented themselves with putting their
ponies through all sorts of "stunts" to the great delight of the
people on the train.