ed.

"Are you going through the crevasse?" demanded the pilot.

"I see no difficulty in doing so. Mr. Washburn, see that every opening
in the deck and deck-house is closed and securely fastened."

"It will be a ticklish business to go through that breach," said the
pilot, shaking his head.

"Would you let a hundred people drown without doing any thing to save
them?" I asked.

"Not if I could help it. I am willing to do all I can; but I shouldn't
wonder if your boat made a dive into the mud on the other side of the
levee, and stuck there."

"If she does we have two life-boats at the davits," I replied.

The Sylvania soon got up her best speed, and the pilot steered the
steamer for a point just above the crevasse. I closed the windows of
the pilot-house, and directed all hands to go on the hurricane-deck,
except the engineers and firemen.

"I think you ought to stop the engine, for she will go through quick
enough without any help," suggested the pilot.

"We must have steerage-way, or we can do nothing," I replied with quick
tones, for we were within a few fathoms of the whirl of waters that
were dashing through the crevasse. I felt the speed of the steamer
increasing, and I firmly grasped the wheel with the pilot.

"You know this boat better than I do, and this business is a little out
of my line; but I will help you all I can," said the pilot, who seemed
to be fully self-possessed, though he was not used to handling a vessel
like the Sylvania.

Washburn came into the pilot-house, after seeing that all the openings
were closed, and the ship's company disposed in safe places.

"I don't think you will have any trouble going through there, Alick,"
said the mate.

"I don't know as you will, but I wouldn't take a river-boat through
such a place unless she was insured for her full value," added the
pilot.

"No more talking, if you please," I added.

We had entered the rapid current that swept into the crevasse. It was a
thrilling moment, for the next minute would determine whether the
Sylvania was to be swamped or not. But I had a reasonable degree of
confidence in the vessel. She had always done all I expected of her,
and I could hardly conceive of her disappointing me in this instance.

The people assembled on the levee uttered a long and deep shout of
warning to us, but we had gone too far to recede even if we had been
disposed to do so. I saw the two men who had been swamped in the small
boat, still bu