ke to Mr. Cornwood, and in a
few hours more we had Chloe, the wife of Griffin Leeds, duly installed
in that position.

She had no children, and did not appear to be more than twenty years
old. She was very neat and lively, and the ladies were much pleased
with her. She had had experience on a Charleston and a St. Johns
steamer. The forecastle of the Sylvania had not been used on the cruise
except as a store-room, and I had this prepared for the use of Leeds
and his wife. Peeks and Sands slept in the cabin; and if the stewardess
was wanted in the night, she could be called.

It was only a six or seven hours' run to Jacksonville, especially as we
had a strong south-westerly breeze, and carried all sail in addition to
our steam. We started at an early hour in the morning, so as to have
the tide right to cross the bar at the mouth of the river.

"You needn't put that flag in the fore-rigging," said Mr. Cornwood,
when he discovered the signal for a pilot flying, as we approached the
bar.

"Why not?" I asked, forgetting some of the wonderful things he had told
me he could do.

"I am a pilot for any waters of Florida, and I can take the steamer
across the bar as well as any man you will pay for this service," he
added, apparently hurt by the appearance of the ensign on the foremast.

"But you have neither branch nor warrant; and if anything should happen
to the Sylvania while she has not a regular pilot on board, my
passengers would never forgive me."

"But I know that bar as well as I knew the rooms in my father's house,"
protested the Floridian.

"But you are not an authorized pilot," I insisted.

I could not see why he was so strenuous about the matter, unless it was
because he thought I distrusted his ability. The steamer was not
insured, so that nothing depended upon that matter; but I could not
trust a pilot whose ability had not been proved. Cornwood was quite
sulky about the matter for some time, and declared that, if he was to
be of no use on board he did not care to remain. He had some
self-respect, and he could not take his salary if he did not earn it.

When the pilot came on board it proved to be the same one who had taken
us over in December. He had a great deal to say about the exciting
events of that day; and as he stood at the wheel he asked many
questions about the steamer and the man who had attempted to wreck her.

"I took an ice schooner up to Jacksonville about three weeks ago, and I
stopped