"Last night, commodore, this matchless new boat"—he paused to let the compliment sink in, his eye wandering to Watson, who had sauntered down from the texas roof—"this Votaress, swept past everything that had backed out at New Orleans ahead of her."
"Built to do it," put in Hugh while the commodore, by a look, drew Watson to them and the senator flowed on.
XXIV
A SENATOR ENLIGHTENED
"But, lying at Bayou Sara this morning," said the senator, "everything worth counting left us behind again."
"For the time being," said Hugh.
"Good for you," said the senator. "Mr. pilot, this paper, of a hundred signatures, petitions this boat to put off her foreigners at Natchez Island. If that is refused, when and where are we likely to overhaul the Antelope?"
"Antelope? Let's see. We'd still be a-many a bend behind the Antelope at sundown but fo' one thing. At Natchez she's got to discharge an all-fired lot o' casting an' boilers, things she can't put ashore 'ithout han'spikes, block-an'-taickle an' all han's a-cuss'n' to oncet. Like as not we'll catch her right there."
"Good again; sundown!" said the senator. "Now, commodore, this petition begs——"