he did not go ashore, though Sam called him
frequently. At last growing weary, the constable walked away with
the captured wardrobe. As he disappeared, Michael started on a dead run
for home. His clothes were recovered; but it was some time before
Michael was inclined to calculate how many cubic feet of bread Paul
would consume in a week, or to reckon how much time he lost from his
studies by going into the water, as had been his custom. It is needless
to add that it was many moons ere Michael went swimming again.

It was the custom then, as it is at present, to run enormous tows of
coal barges, propelled by a powerful tug, from Pittsburgh to New
Orleans. These grim and heavily loaded fleets had an intense fascination
for young Paul. Many and many a day he spent in assisting the inland
sailors in lashing boat to boat and diving overboard after spars, etc.,
that had slipped into the river. He often dreamt of the time when he
would be large enough to go down the mighty Ohio and the great
Mississippi. He made many friends among the coal men and eagerly
devoured their stories of danger, of voyages down the river and of the
comical "darkies" in the far off south. Time after time he implored
permission from his mother to go away on one of those barge trips, but
she would never consent. One day while assisting as usual on a fleet
that was about to depart, a great, dark whiskered man named Tom, who
was his particular friend, said: "Why don't you come with us, Paul? We
will take good care of you and bring you safe hme again."

The temptation was strong, but the thought of his anxious mother
deterred him. Tom still urged and the wonderful stories he told
about brilliant New Orleans and the mighty "Father of Waters" rapt
Paul's attention so that he did not at first notice that the tug "Red
Lion" was driving the huge fleet of barges ahead of her. Would he jump
into the river and swin ashore or would he go ahead?

"He who hesitates, is lost."

"Paul remained on board. Tom took him to the lookout far ahead on the
tow and Paul forgot all about home and gave himself up to the delight of
watching the swiftly passing banks while he listened to the swish, swish
of the water as it beat against the bows of the barges. He was seated
with the men on the watch, who passed the time telling stories and
laughing at rough jokes. When it was getting late his big friend Tom,
said:

"Now Paul, it's time you turned i