It had not been too dark for the shade of the enemy to be perceived,
so his skipper gave one of his earnest laughs, and replied:

"You mean _wool_, I reckon!"


* * * * *


LOG-ROLLING TO SAVE LIVES.

It was in the spring after the deep snow of 1831, that three or four
lumbermen, who had built a large flatboat for carrying a cargo to New
Orleans, were on the Sangamon River, trying the rowboat, or scow, to
accompany the vessel. The river was very high and on the run. Two of
the men leaped into the boat to get the drink for being the first in,
and sent her out into the current. They were unable to stem it and row
back. Lincoln shouted for them to head up and try the sleeping, or
dead water, along shore. But they were mastered, and paddled for a
wrecked boat, which had a pole sticking up. But though the man who
grabbed for it secured his hold, the boat was capsized and the other
was flung into the tide.

Lincoln, as captain, shouted out to him:

"Carman, swim for that elm-tree down there! You can catch it! Keep
calm. Lay hold of a branch."

The tree was at a convenient height, and Carman caught on and swung