pleased with your conduct on board the ship, and I am only sorry you are
leaving us. I think it's a pity you don't stick to it, for it is clear
that you are well educated, and would be able to pass as a mate as soon
as you had been the requisite time at sea. However, you can fall back on
that if you don't get on as well as you expect on shore."

The mate said good-bye to him warmly.

"Your employer is one of the very best in the place," said he. "You must
not suppose he is in a small way because you see him in that little
office: he is one of the largest tug and flat owners in New Orleans. He
keeps his eye on his men, and will push you forward if he sees you
deserve it. He has the name of having the best of captains on the river,
and of being one of the best and most liberal of employers. But you must
not expect much in flat life, you will find the men rough as well as the
work."

"I shan't mind that," Frank said cheerfully; "our own bargemen on the
Thames are not the most polished of men."

"And, lad," the mate added, "I should advise you to hand over any money
you may have with you to Mr. Willcox; the less money you have in your
pockets the better. You have no occasion for it on the river, and there
are loafers hanging about at every landing who would think nothing of
knocking a man on the head if they thought he had got fifty dollars in
his pocket."

Frank promised to take his advice, and, with a hearty farewell to the
mate, and a cordial one to his late shipmates, he put his portmanteau
in the boat and was rowed ashore.

"Oh, here you are," Mr. Willcox said, as he entered; "just give a call
to that man you see outside."

Before doing so, Frank handed over his twenty sovereigns to the trader,
asking him to keep them for him, and then went to the door. On a log
close by a tall, gaunt man was sitting smoking a short pipe. Frank asked
him to step in.

"Hiram," the trader said, "this is the young Britisher who is going as
your second hand. I have good accounts of him as a sailor, so you won't
have to teach him that part of the business. Of course he is new to the
river and its ways."

"I will put him through," the man said, "and will teach him as much as I
knows myself if he cares to learn."

"There is no one knows the river better, Hiram; and, as you know, I
would have given you the command of a steamer long ago if you would have
taken it."

"No, sir," the man said emphatically, "not for Hiram Little. I h