"I believe so," replied the coxswain.
"Come on board, will you, Matt?" continue the captain of the La Motte, beckoning with his hand.
"You must excuse me, Spickles. I have the charge of this barge, and I can't leave her," replied Matt, very civilly, but not less decisively. "I have to attend to my duty."
"But I want to see you about the navigation of this river; for I got aground coming in, and I don't want to do it again," added the captain of the La Motte.
The coxswain shifted the helm of the barge; for if there was any thing to be done that would assist in the departure of the schooner, he was willing to do it. He ran alongside of the vessel, and held the boat at a distance of about ten feet from her.
"What is the trouble about the navigation, Spickles?" asked Matt, coming to business at once.
"Off that point below, I found that the water was not more than two feet deep," said the captain.
"And it is marked one foot on the chart; and you told me you were supplied with charts."
"I am; but the river is not laid down on the chart."
"You have a south-west wind; and all you have to do is to keep near the middle of the stream, and you will go out all right. Is that all?"