TAKE A FEW EXTRA LESSORS.

135

spirits might be when I started aloft, my soul became lead in my
body the moment I approached the pilot house.

I still remember the first time I ever entered the presence of that
man. The boat had backed out from St. Louis and was e straighten-
ing down;' I ascended to the pilot-house in high feather, and very
proud to be senii-ofEcially a member of the executive family of so fast
and famous a boat. Brown was at the
wheel. I paused in the middle of the
room, all fixed to make my bow, but
Brown did not look around. I thought
he took a furtive glance at me out of
the corner of his eye, but as not even
this notice was repeated, I judged I had
been mistaken. By this time he was
picking his way among some dangerous
* breaks ' abreast the wood-yards; there-
fore it would not be proper to interrupt
him; so I stepped softly to the high
bench and took a seat.

There was silence for ten minutes;
then my new boss turned and inspected
me deliberately and painstakingly from
head to heel for about—as it seemed
to me—a quarter of an hour. After
which he removed his countenance and
I saw it no more for some seconds ;
then it came around once more, and
this question greeted me—

6 Are you Horace Bigsby's cub 1 *

f Yes, sir.3

After this there was a pause and another inspection.

* What's your name 1'

I told him. He repeated it after me. It was probably the only
thing he ever forgot; for although I was with him many months he
never addressed himself to me in any other way than * Here !' and
then his command followed.

* Where was you born ?'

PILOT BEOWH.

Then—