not apparent to me, the pilot was so startled at the
sound of the new waiter's voice that he let go the wheel, as he was
swinging the boat around at a bend of the river. The wheel flew over
with force enough to knock a man down if it had hit him. I immediately
grasped the spokes, and began to heave it over again.

"No harm done; my hand slipped," said the pilot.

"Good morning, Mr. Cornwood," added the new waiter, with a broad grin
on his face. "I didn't know you were the pilot of this steamer. I hope
you are very well."

"Very well," answered Cornwood, with an utterly disgusted expression on
his face, as he continued to throw the wheel over.

"I think the passengers will not dine on board to-day," I replied to
the question of the waiter. "But I will let the steward know in
season."

The forward-cabin steward retired. It was evident that Cornwood had not
seen him on board before, and that he was not at all pleased to have
him as a fellow-voyager on the river. Cobbington looked as though he
had gained twenty pounds in flesh since he came on board on Saturday
night. In his new clothes he presented a very neat appearance; and he
had done his duty faithfully. He was so familiar with his work, that he
required scarcely any instruction. All hands were greatly interested in
his accounts of forest life in Florida, and he appeared to be a general
favorite. By Monday morning, he was generally called the "sportsman."

"Is that man employed on board?" asked Cornwood, soon after Cobbington
took his head out of the door.

"He is; he takes the place of Griffin Leeds," I replied.

"How long has he been on board?"

"He came on Saturday night."

"He is a good-for-nothing vagabond!" exclaimed the pilot.

"He has had a hard time of it in Florida, according to his own account.
If he does his duty, that is all I want of him," I added.

"Where did you pick him up?"

"He hailed Mr. Washburn in the street when I was with him, and we
brought him off with us. He was in a starving condition, and Captain
Boomsby, at whose house he used to have a room, refused to give him
even a supper. I believe he has been in the snake business to some
extent," I replied, indifferently.

I knew very well that Cornwood wished to know precisely what our
relations were with Cobbington; but he was not so simple as to ask any
questions about them. I could not prove that Captain Boomsby had placed
the moccasin in the closet of the room where he had conf