an oar and sail a boat. I didn't like the
thought of his landing here and getting into bad hands, so I thought I
would come straight to you. He said what he wanted to do was to work on
the river, for a few months at any rate, until he got to know the place.
Now I know you have a dozen tugs and a score of barges, and I thought
you might set him on at once. He would make a good second hand on one of
your large boats. If it's but to oblige me, I wish you would put him on
board one with a sober, steady chap of a decent kind; as soon as he gets
to know the work and the river, I will guarantee that he will be fit to
take charge himself."

"That's easy enough done, Ephraim," the trader replied, "all except
finding the sober and steady decent man to put him under. However, I
will do my best. Have you got him here?"

"Yes, he is outside," Ephraim said; and rising, he went to the door and
called Frank in. "This is the hand I was speaking to you about, Mr.
Willcox."

"Well, young man," the trader said, "I hear you want a berth on board a
tug or flat. Which would you rather have?"

"I would prefer to be on a flat,--at any rate for a time, sir," Frank
said; "I am a pretty good hand at sailing or rowing, but I don't know
anything about steamboats."

"There's not much to learn in that," the trader said; "the work is
simply to keep the decks clean, to help to load and unload at each
landing-place, and to pole off in shallows. However, I will put you on
board a flat. The wages to begin with will be twenty dollars a month and
your keep, if that will suit you."

"That will do, sir, very well," Frank said. "When shall I come to work?"

"If you come here this time to-morrow you can go aboard at once. One of
the flats will go up the first thing in the morning."

"Thank you, sir, I will be here. I am greatly obliged to you, Mr.
Alderson, for your kind recommendation of me."

"I am glad to have put you into a berth," the mate said. "Now I should
recommend you to get on board again soon."

Frank strolled about the wharves for an hour or two, and then went on
board. Before going on shore the following day, the captain gave him a
certificate, saying that he had sailed in the _Mississippi_, and was a
good, willing, and reliable hand.

[Illustration: FRANK'S VISIT TO MR. HIRAM LITTLE'S OFFICE.]

"You may not intend to go to sea again, but if you should, this will get
you a better berth than if you had applied as a landsman. I am very