Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-09-16
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CHAPTER XXI
TIE GLADIAToRs OF THn MISSISSIPPI

ut DOnalOSOnVlhe, anO the nOuIS thdb 4
we waited there were torturing ones
What would have happened had pur~
suit overtaken us before the boat
came is a matter of certainty with mel
i had found an opportunity to arm my
self. lie Fevre did the same. We ex-
changed significant looks but no
words. There was no need of words
We had already earned a term of i'm
prisonment, and we and our fair
charge we're not now TO be captured
without bloodshed.
Aboard the Queen, and she rapidly
putting miles of the wide and crooked
river between us and pursuit, our
spirits rose. We did not then know
how narrow was our escape at that I
point. We got our breakfast with a |
crowd of passengers, cheered up CorRlie |
and. bringing her again ON deck. en-
joyed with her the glorious panorama
We passed Plaquimine without stop |
ping. lie Fevre inquired of the cap !
tain, and learned that there was to be
no stop until the boat reached Baton /
Rouge.
"Do you stop there?"
cot course. All the boats do"
This intelligence made us uneasy.
and we were consulting together about
what we should do to avoid the deten-
ton that we had reason to fear had
been prepared by telegraph for MS.
when the most unexpected chance ia
vored us
I stop at this point, to say that the
occurrences narrated in this chapter
came mainly under my own observa-
ton. The minor ones that did not
personally see and hear were after
wards told to me by those who did see
and hear them
The day wore on; the boat was with
IN mile of Baton Rouge. A call
from the pilots speaking tube brought
sthe captain up into the pilot house
whats up, Doblin?'
p Look up the river" said the pilot.
with both hands on the wheel
The captain shaded his eyes with his
hand, and looked
Seems TO be large steamboat put
ting out from Baton Rouge"
Take the glass, sir"
One look through the glass and the
captain threw IL down, fairly jumping
with excitement
1.-The s. s. Prentiss. by II Why,
she left New Orleans twelve hours
ahead of us"
''Shes been waiting for u.s." said
the pilot, quietly.
,sShe has not waited for nothing,
then. I've heard of their brags from St
Louis down about what they'd do with
the Queen when they had a chance By
the Lord Harry, we'll show EN-
Here's almost a straight course to Port
Hudson bluffs, and no chutes or side
cuts. III beat 'em or go TO the bot
toni"
He rang the engineers bell for more
steam. Presently the black smoke be
gan 20 pour from the lofty stacks il
clouds The speaking-tube brough
up the night-pilot, who was sleeping
an his berth The two men at TIN
wheel kept their eyes fixed on tn
glass front of the pilot-house, ready Z
take any advantage offered by the cur
rent or the curves of the shore
The speed of the Queen was visibl
Increased The vibration of her pow
crful engines could be felt in ever
part of her. The puff of the pipes an
the fierce churning of the paddles mil
gled in a steady sound.
Baton Rouge was passed. many PEI
Pile standing on the shore and wavin
passengers clamored up to the captai
that they must get of here, and ths
they had freight aboard that was TO
delivered here.
"You and your freight be id
roared the captain. leaning out OF Il
pilot-house. ''Do you think the Quee
is going to stop race that we've tri.
for months to get to obligc your"
~ ~ no
laughed, cheered and npplauded. Tt
excitement Of the contest had by th
time spread all through the boat. TT
bows were so crowded that some
the boats officers came and order.
half of the people back. that the DO
might not settle too much by the hea
Thousands of dollars were wagered (
the length OF time before the Que
would pass her rival A few 6tsloy
folks. who were willing to bet that S
would not pass at all, had the chan
promptly offered them 20 take tie
one. Before the contest was deti
mined the Baton Rouge men were
crazy with excitement as anyone.
Were gaining q little" said
captain.
precious little" said Pilot Dobb
Again the speaking-tube.
slow much steam is on?"
Hundred and fifty" came back II
sepulchral tone
''Pile her onl Stick her up to sew
ty-dve-"
shell stand that" said Doblin. s
coce. as the four hands made hal
dozen rapid turns of the wheel. q
the bows took an acute angle for
farther shore.
shell have to carry more Z
that before she catches that Il
ahead" said the other.
To the feverish passengers who W
watching the leading boat. the in
val between them seemed the same
hours II was in fact very slowly c
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