122 LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI.

all, but had plunged head-first into the river and dived under the
wheel. It was nothing; I could have done it easy enough, and I
said so ; but everybody went on just the same, making a wonderful
to-do over that ass, as if he had done something great. That girl
couldn't seem to have enough of that pitiful ' hero ' the rest of the
trip ; but little I cared; I loathed her, any way.

The way we came to mistake the sounding-boat's lantern for the
buoy-light was this. My chief said that after laying the buoy lie
fell away and watched it till it seemed to be secure; then he took up
a position a hundred yards below it and a little to one side of the
steamer's course, headed the sounding-boat up-stream, and waited.
Having to wait some time, he and the officer got to talking; he looked
up when he judged that the steamer was about on the reef; saw that
the buoy was gone, but supposed that the steamer had already run
over it; he went on with his talk; he noticed that the steamer was
getting very close down on him, but that was the correct thing; it
was her business to shave him closely, for convenience in taking him
aboard ; he was expecting her to sheer off, until the last moment;
then it flashed upon him that she was trying to run him down,
mistaking his lantern for the buoy-light; so he sang out, c Stand by
to spring for the guard, men!' and the next instant the jump was
made.