The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-08-23
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know I was to step into his Shoes, OF
course, though, / said nothing about
that, but just followed him about and
listened with puclzered face while he
gave mo tips about hiscenemies. While
they We're getting up steam he oven
thought good to blow off test can full
Of water and show me how to use lit
mus paper on it.
At daybreak punctually we got under
way, with Port Eads pilot on the
bridge to take US out through the south
east pass. was free after the watch
was set and went out on deck for q
Whit of air. The river was smeared
with three foot layer of white mist
You could hardly see the yellow water
as it scrubbed along the steamers side.
and the trees on the shore were cut off
clean by the whiteness half way up
their trunks. There was smell to the
mist like new turned earth. 1t was just
the smell you get up the Kongo and the
west African rivers, and it as good as
said to me, Ny lad, you take precaa-
tions, or you'll have dose of fever
coming back TO you So went below
to rout up the cabin steward to get
dose Of quinine out Of the medicine
chest, when who should come in there
but the old man himself.
"Quinine?" said he. Certainly,
Mac, my lad. Wade in and help your
self. Say, you'd better take couple CT
Cody's pills to ram it home'
NO Cody G 81" said I. + "Hhey're new to
"Best pill that was ever rolled said
he. "Your English pills make me tired.
guess man might as we'll swallow
shot cdrns for all the good they do.
Now, Cody's are regular twisters. 1t
doesn't matter what man has the mat
ter with him, Cody's get right there
and let him know they're attending to
business. Are you interested in drugs,
Mac?"
"No man more so. I've been in the
west coast trade, captain, and drugs
just keep me alive. l fairly lived on
them and no expense spared.
"Slt down right here, said he, "and
put that cigar in your face. We must
have more talk about this. I need a
great deal of drugs myself, and what I
don t know about them isn't worth
knowing. Bear hand, and We'll pull
out the medicine chest and go through
it right now. /"
Well, have got to tell good deal
against Captain Blake later ON, but
will say he was man who was splen-
didly informed with regard to medi-
cine. I never met his equal. 1t seems he
always read carefully all the papers
which his bottles and pill boxes were
wrapped in. and that's thing many
people omit. and besides he'd a book on
doctoring that he sknew better by heart
than he did his Norie's epitome. He
showed himself quite gentleman, too,
in the way he left the Shah's medicine
chest to my discretion. "Wade in" he
said, "and help yourself, Mac. I'd not
/, give that leave to everybody, but you re
man that knows what he's about,
! equal to doctor in a hospital ashore {"
1t was while we We're having this
talk that the propeller stopped. TIC gave
me curious look, and 81 reckon, y said
he, shat means we're on the ground. ("
But he didn't offer TO move from his
seat.
| Well, /" thought ], ''the Gibbs MAX
ing fast, and if we don't get off quick
here We'll stay for another tide. % But
as it was not my place to say anything
held my tongue.
Dangerous things. those Mississippi
bars said he. Very likely to get
some plates started over this game -
"Oh, no, said ], 'there's no danger
It's all soft mud underneath. Why, we
never felt her going OH. There was no
shock whatever. !"
He leaned across and whispered in
my ear: g But / say there is danger Mr.
McTodd. tell you that this ships bot
tom has very likely received such dam
age here that it is quite on the cards
she may sink when she gets into the
seaway outside. If you let news Of that
slip out among your grubby crowd i'll
the stokeholc, l shall be your debtor
Now, sonny, don't stop to think Go
right now and do your bid. -
said, "Aye, aye, siI, by force of
instinct and went away below. Tic
third engineer was standing by the re-
versing gear and asked me what was
amiss. l told him we Were ON the
ground and said I'd fear we might
have some Of our bottom plates started
He cackled at me with laughter, and |
felt my face grow red. "Why, what "a
blessed scary Scotchman you must be, :"
said he. "She took the ground like but
ter going ON to o bar of soap. 1t would
not have cracked the glass in green
house ("
"There are snags in this Mississippi
mud, said. 'We'm down in the pass
now. If you go on deck and look over
the banks, you'll see the sand outside
in the gulf regularly sown with tree
trunks. They 'reas dangerous to ship's
bottom as coral rock
McTcdd," said he, "get away to
your bunk and sleepit off. Your nerves
arc bit joggled up still.'' And off /
went, feeling pretty foolish. But had
noticed one of the firemen listening to
our talk and judged that l had done
| what the captain intended