The Argosy — page 162: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

354 THE ARGOSY. boat a great many miles, and had charge of the machine for hours at a time. Between trips the steamer sometimes made excursions out to sea, and I have steered when the water was decidedly rough. I think I know something about a steamer.’’ ‘“I guess the boot is on t’other leg, then,’’ added Captain Boscook, with the nearest approach to a smile that Andy had seen on his face. ‘‘I-guess you know more about one than I do.”’ **T don’t say that, sir.’’ ‘‘T guess you had better take this wheel, Andy Lamb,’’ continued the captain. ; ““T will take the wheel if you say so,’’ replied Andy, as the owner stepped aside for him to do so. ‘You did not tell me where you were bound when I asked you,’’ said the new pilot. ‘‘T was going up to the south side of that island, and I meant to turn _round there.’’ ‘‘“Then you are not going to Montoban?’’ asked Andy, greatly disap- pointed ; and he looked behind at the bag under the seat. ‘‘T guess not!’’ exclaimed the owner. ‘‘ Of course I’m not going to Montoban today !’’ His tones were very decided on a very simple question, in which no great issue seemed to be involved ; and the pilot could not see why the owner was so earnest about it. Of course he had a reason, for he had just said he was in a bad scrape. ‘“‘T am sure I don’t understand you, Captain Boscook,’’ said Andy, puzzled as much by the manner as by the words of his companion in the pilot house. ‘‘ You said you were in a bad scrape, but you did not explain the nature of it.’’ : ‘‘T should think you might see for yourself.’’ ‘‘T really can’t see anything.”’ ‘‘Can’t you see that I am caught out here in a bad storm ?’’ demanded the owner almost angrily, and as though it had required a desperate effort for him to admit that he was frightened. ‘‘ I was a fool to start when I did.’’ Andy wanted to laugh as he looked at the bag, but he did not care to jar the feelings of his companion who had been kind enough to take him on board, though he had done so in the hope of obtaining a pilot. | ‘‘ Sparks, the engineer, said he wouldn’t go with meat first, and I am sorry he did not stick to it,’’ continued Captain Boscook. ‘‘He is a good deal more scared than IJ am, but both of us have got it bad.”’ ‘‘ Why didn’t you come about and return if you thought the weather was too bad for you?” asked Andy. ‘*T couldn’t do it !’’ protested the timid owner. ‘Why not?”’ ‘‘ Because I couldn’t turn round. You see, I didn’t know how bad it was till we got about three miles this side of Bushrod, and the waves were bigger there than they are here.’’ ‘“T don’t see why you couldn’t come about, though Iam glad you didn’t.’’ Comicbooks ico