s crew took him down to your boat to sober off."

"Why there?"

"Well, I thought you'd ask that. I gave them leave to go to your boat
out of regard to you. I told him if he'd whistle together five or six
experienced poles and a good cook, like as not you'd hire him to take
charge of her for you and steer her down the river; see to the
kitchen, beds and everything."

Inwardly remarking that the agent had presumed beyond his commission,
Burr was conducted to the boat, within which he found half a dozen
rough rivermen seated around a table, playing poker. Their redoubtable
chief rose with a civil salutation not to be expected from one of his
station. He was a stalwart fellow, of swarthy complexion and strongly
marked features. A broad yellow belt confining a leather doublet was
buckled around his waist; the legs of his coarse blue woollen trousers
were stuffed into the wide tops of heavy Suarrow boots, and his head
was covered by a broad hat, such as were worn by Spanish traders on
the lower Mississippi.

"That's your man; that's Burke; born and raised on a broad-horns.
Speak for yourself, cap; this is Mr. Burr, which I told you about."

The boatman spoke for himself in surprisingly good language, with an
air combining the bold and the obsequious. For a fixed sum, payable in
weekly instalments, he proposed to give his own services and to hire
the additional help necessary to navigate the boat, under the general
control of the owner. To this arrangement Burr finally agreed,
notwithstanding an instinctive repugnance which he had felt on first
seeing the letter A oar, who was tough as a bull and who had but one
failing. As the captain received in his palm an advance payment, he
called upon his men to witness the contract and to vouch for his
character, and pledged word and honor that, by six o'clock on the
evening of the following day, the boat would be in readiness for the
voyage.

Relieved of present care, Burr returned to the tavern, where many
citizens, incited by various motives, waited to pay him their
respects. The rumor of his arrival had spread over town, and
speculation was rife concerning his movements. What could be the noted
politician's object in coming to the West? Was he flying from
persecution? Could he be suffering remorse? Or was he merely making a
tour of observation for commercial reasons?

Burr's reticence gave little satisfaction to the busybodies who sought
by direct question to verify their s