Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1905-08-13

more when the captain OF the steamer
opened the door and said roughly:
Barnet. that cursed mate took 10 the
bank back there. The fool said he was
going to get married. Tie up nj La
Cross"
The old pilot did not answer. He did
not look at the captain, but remained
motionless. tipped back In his high
chair by the wheel. his eyes resting on
the far water line beyond the raft. The
captain slammed shut the door and
walked heavily over the hurricane deck
aud down the steps to the deck below.
THAT mate a foOlT' Barnet reflected.
"Well. maybe, and maybe not"
Barnet leaned over 10 the window for
some tobacco. then began TO III his
pipe. There was no sound but the regu.
lar breathing OF the steamer and the
wash, wash, wash Of the big wheel at
the stern. by and by the pipe was
lighted.
It's n common, unlnteresting way
folks got nowadays OF getting mar
rled." the pilot began Don't YOU
know IL isl Common old prose from
the beginning"
l made no answer.
"Do you know-well IL was back In
go. was pulling an oar on an old
floating raft. We didn't have steamers
20 push 'em then. a young fellow. you
know-strong. good boxing lie turn
cd TO me with grin and then watched
some smoke curl over the pilot wheel
Times are different now. Well. there
was only one town on the Mississippi
them days-that was where she lived
the girl. you know. | reckOned the days
by our coming 10 that town. Other
towns were just sort OF landmarks TO
tell us how far or we were. We went
slow just before we got TO Il. She was
always down on the sand 10 see us.
well. sir. there was another fellow
on that raft, sort Of a clerk and mate
or steersman when the captain want.
cd 70 be lazy-sort OF n general boss
and important. You know. he figured
on the same girl Poor devil, | don't
know what became OF him! We were
going down the river spring OF 60
May; no wind; easy floating. The wa.
ter was all like that out there" Barnet
pointed TO a broken bar OF crimson
and green In the water that ran from
the boat TO the bank. The sunset was
above the hill beyond.
"Thc middle Of the next morning we
were coming 10 that only town | was
telling you about You know. that
night | didn't sleep-no work 20 do.
either. | dropped down between two
big logs comfortable and listened 20
that raft pur. The waves, you know.
ratified around soft between the logs.
Hear that tree toad then, that chi.
wa. chiwaT Well. I heard them that
night
Next morning the wind was blow
ing a gale to eastward across the chan
mel Right. rightr the captain kept
calling In his deep voice. Right, right"
sou know, that way. Good, rough old
fellow; he's dead now. ia like to hear
him call them signals again. We were
all nc the sweep oars working tired!
Young fellow. you don't know what ii
Is 20 be tircd!'
The old pilot turned TO me, then relit
his pipe
"No breakfast that morning" he
went on. Il don't know why-guess
the cook had to take a hand at the
oars. That happened sometimes. Well,
there was that town coming in sight.
and / was working TO keep the wind
from blowing US right In on the bank
In front OF IT, Pretty soon | see the
glrl-wore n white dress-nO hat. Same
time | saw that clerk was telling you
about. We had only one boat on the
fleet, and there vas that clerk, with
white collar ON. making for TO shove
ashore In that boat
lie had "A commanding voice. be-
gan 20 pull again with the other fell
lows, about twenty OF them. Pretty
soon see the captain coming down 20
the bow where | was. He was whit
Ting a stick. The clerk was just about
TO shove on. Well, that captain-he
was n good fellow-there Amt any
more like him now on the riycr-he
came down 10 me and stood quiet a
minute, cutting that stick.
Leslie. he says, what towns this
we're coming TOT
"Let me See says, beginning 20
look around.
"'Nevcr mind he returned. I see
YOU don't know. The winds getting
high. Wen lay In a mile below he
said soft. leslie he says don't be
afraid Of getting wet
THAT captain didn't say another
word. He went OF whiting that stick.
I see the girl wave 20 Us. see the
clerk wave back and shove OF in the
boat. didn't have time 20 wave-I
Jumped I'm and swan for Il. The other
fellows didn't make a sound. thought
they hadn't noticed.
pretty soon see the clerk and the
girl shaking hands Then she was
looking al me: then the clerk was. I
told YOU Il was May and the water
hadn't heated up yet for summer.
Next thing I was on the bank. SILVER
Ing too much 20 talk. That girl came
over and extended her hand 10 me.
"'No.' says l. I'm too wet 20 touch /
you
% VI. f,.t g,,,,,,,b g., half fr,v,.f,