"Several hours; but my boat was wrecked before we lodged there."
The captain laughed, and winked aside at the mate.
"Seems to be a mighty populous river up this way, hey, Mapes?" he remarked genially. "Castaways round every bend."
"What do you mean? Have you picked up others?"
"Certainly have. Hit a keel-boat twenty miles below."
"A keel-boat, operated by steam?"
"Couldn't say as to that. Was it, Mapes? The craft had gone down when I got on deck. Had four aboard, but we got 'em all off, an' stowed 'em back there in the texas. You better get along now, and shuck those wet clothes."