Arizona republican., 1892-07-24
THE BOY B0ATMAN.

THE BOY B0ATMAN.
 large pair of heavily laden coal
 sats or "broadhorns" as they were
 grped, swept out of the Ohio and,
 achlug the current of the mighty Mis-
 o,gppi began the second stage of the
 ,rrpev to New Orleans.
 The lumbering, cumbrous crafts had
 ,,ne all the way from Pittsburg under
 ne command of Joe Trick, a most skill
 hI pilot. These coal boats were pecu-
 nyIv constructed vessels, but they are
 wV things of the past, their places being
 aypGed by large barges, which are
 owed back and forth by steamers.
 They were built of finch pine boards,
 arefully selected, and any piece of lum- . sr containing but single knot was re-
 pced No nails were used in putting be timbers together, but wooden pins
 were called for.
 These frail vessels were loaded deep T,h coal from the mines, then two v,-e laShed together side by side, and win crew of thirty-hve or forty men would float serenely down the Ohio and Mississippi to their destination. The day n which our story opens Joe lnck was standing in the stern of one of be boats, with the long steering oar in ald guiding his broadhorn on its way.
 Beside him was a lad about sixteen
 yaB of age, handsome, intelligent
 koking boy, who seemed to be wrapped
 D wonder and admiration at the sublim-
 yOi the scene that stretched out before
 Aim
 Well, Jimmy, my son, we're on the cd Mississippi once more. Let me see;
 hs is the third time for you, isn't ityn
 "Yes, uncle, you know you have taken ne twice yourself to New Orleans"
 That's fact, Jim. But you see I'm giHng old and am apt to forget little things like a trip down river. Now ! o1ldn't tell within fifteen or twenty Sgmany times I've been down stream.h
 Iaats not to be wondered at, re- t1ned tue boy, respectfully, flor you vsTe a pilot long before l was born. Bat look, yonder comes a high pressuIp bat up stream" and Jimmy pointed to Iiause cl0nd of black smoke which was F1rlg out of the double stacks of lEge steamer that was approaching.
 Let her come, my lad, let her come. Nss got to keep out of our way. Now, vaat would you say,' continued Trick. nleould tell you the name of that craft; 'nd, what's more, the name of the man Elo is looking at us now out of her Foi house, and likely enough wishing S sunk down among the catfish for Fssumlng to get in his course. Yes, ny son, that's the River Queen, and John Williams is her pilot"
 How can you be so positive at such asance| asked the boy, his gaze still nVeted on the boat.
 Listen to that exhaust" and Joe incz turned his head so as to better catch the peculiar sound. "There isn't mother hooker betwixt Cairo and the uni with such a voice as that. Now !V0 " see when we meet Williams, he'll ] Ay the River Queen as close to this Vtoadhorn as he dares to. It's an old | 'nck of his. He thinks to frighten us, Dal here's hoss that don't frighten so aslly l tell you one thing, Jimmy, ls Il cut up that caper once too often, 'la when he sends pair of boats with aer freight to the bottom of the l AhsisSlppl I'm under the impression | -"' Inc owners will fire him ashore on ae oank, and then he'll have to take to Oai boating himself, like the rest of us" 6y this time the steamer was within 'Wyards of our friend, when she was een to change her course fraction. There, boy, didn't 1 tell you? Jack 'u4lams has starb'-ed his helm, think lg To raise our hairl" Then in loud Uee which could have been heard 'Vn one side of the river to the other, @ called.
 aulloa, Williams! Up to your old IcSs againt 1 reckon you wouldn't aye taken the trouble of changing your 'ui'e fl you'd a known Joe Trick was board here. He don't belong to the 'ary breed"
 howdy, Joe," returned the man in v steamers pilot house "Oh, no, sa' want to crowd you into the bank. lsTes room enough on the stream for 'o such fellows as you and L" ES Iilck was about to answer, 6 shrill ,ean was heard, issuing from the yer part of the steamer, and the same sssnt $, child was seen to fall from the ~ ot the hurricane deck to the water. 'A second Jimmy, the boy boatman, 1ahg across the coal until he reached Y ease of the broadhorn, and then unSed bead foremost into the muddy Trent
 iHe heavy boats were drifting fully 53 W'!es an hour, while the steamer !" been making equally good time against the stream; consequently, " asu the brave lad reached the little ,' nls own craft as well as the River i'sn were some distance away, VCo l1ck was almost as quick to act l's us nephew, Calling to the "second %|I % to take the steering oar he picked tne little sliff, that is always carried Ip Of the coal, launched it, and seat .,,i ,nilmself upon tho thwart held it in s,uon ;, until the rescuer and his burden ssled down within his rssrhl extending bis hand, Joa AoIgsd ths