RA^JK AND DIGNITY OF PILOTING. U3
Once a pretty mean captain caught Stephen in New Orleans out
of work and as usual out of money. He laid steady siege to Stephen,
who was in a very * close place,' and finally persuaded brnr> to hire
with him at one hundred and twenty-five dollars per month, just
half wages, the captain agreeing not to divulge the secret and so
6ring down the contempt of all the guild upon the poor fellow. But
the boat was not more than a day out of New Orleans before Stephen
discovered that the captain was boasting of his exploit, and that all
the officers had been told. Stephen winced, but said nothing.
About the middle of the afternoon the captain stepped out on the
hurricane deck, cast his eye around, and looked a good deal sur-
prised. He glanced inquiringly aloft at Stephen, but Stephen was
whistling placidly, and attending to business. The captain stood
around a while in evident discomfort, and once or twice seemed
about to make a suggestion; but the etiquette of the river taught
him to avoid that sort of rashness, and so he managed to hold his
peace. He chafed and puzzled a few minutes longer, then retired
to his apartments. But soon he was out again, and apparently
more perplexed than ever. Presently he ventured to remark, with
deference—
* Pretty good stage of the river now, ain't it, sir ?f
< Well, I should say so I Bank-full is a pretty liberal stage.'
* Seems to be a good deal of current here/
* Good deal don't describe it! It's worse than a mill-race.'
* Isn't it easier in toward shore than it is out here in the
middle ?'
* Yes, I reckon it is; but a body can't be too careful with a
steamboat. It's pretty safe out here; can't strike any bottom here,
you can depend on that.'
The captain departed, looking rueful enough* At this rate, he
would probably die of old age before his boat got to St. Louis. Next
day he appeared on deck and again found Stephen faithfully standing
up the middle of the river, fighting the whole vast force of the
Mississippi, and whistling the same placid tune. This thing was
becoming serious. In by the shore was a slower boat dipping along
real authority, there was something impudently apt and happy about that way
of phrasing it.