Boyton, do look at that child in the middle of the river
paddling around on a board."
"Well," said the one addressed as Mrs. Boyton, "I'm glad it is none of
mine. My son Paul, loves the water dearly, but I took the precaution to
lock him up before I started for market."
After observing the child, who was evidently enjoying his aquatic sport,
for some time, the two women proceeded on their way. On reaching home,
Mrs. Boyton, with a feeling of remorse for keeping her young son so long
in captivity, went up stairs to release him, and to her consternation
found that he had escaped. Three minutes later an excited woman stood on
bank of the Alleghany, vigorously waving her hand and hailing the
youthful navigator. The forward end of the one by twelve inch board was
reluctantly headed for shore, and slowly idled in. As the child reached
land, he was grasped by the angry and anxious mother, who beat a merry
tattoo on a tender portion his body with a shingle.
This was not the first time that the young hero had received punishment
for loving the water. His home was within one block of the clear and
swift flowing Alleghany; and whenever he could escape the vigilant eye
of his mother, he was found either on the bank or in the water.
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