NATCHEZ &8212; The Bowie-style knife reported stolen from the Phatwater Kayak Challenge two weekends ago is back.

Event organizer Keith Benoist found the knife Sunday when he was going through boxes leftover from the race, but he still believes it was originally stolen.

&8220;Someone took the knife,&8221; he said. &8220;We know that much. I checked every box, took everything out of both boxes. The knife wasn&8217;t in either.&8221;

Benoist said he feels certain someone took the knife at the conclusion of the Oct. 8 race, had second thoughts and returned it later that day after he&8217;d searched the boxes.

&8220;We had scoured the area,&8221; he said. &8220;Searched the trash, searched the area.&8221;

The specially made knife was to be awarded to a raffle winner at the conclusion of the challenge. It was last seen on top of an amplifier in the awards ceremony area on Water Street. The knife was made by journeyman blade smith Terry Vandeventer of Terry.

Benoist said he expects the knife&8217;s disappearance to remain a mystery but suspects someone either realized the seriousness of what they had done or realized a prank wasn&8217;t funny.

&8220;We don&8217;t have anyone we can point to,&8221; Benoist said. &8220;Someone in our midst definitely took the knife away from the tent, then stuck it back.&8221;

But alls well that ends well, and raffle winner Carolyn Guido now has her prize.

Benoist had already contacted Vandeventer who had started on a replacement knife.

The Phatwater race is an annual event where kayakers travel downriver about 45 miles from Port Gibson to Natchez.

The Bowie-style knives will be raffled off again in future races.