"And—the young lady who was there with him, is here also."
"Very well. What of it?" asked the lad, vigorously polishing a plate.
"You knew it?" cried Ben in astonishment.
"To be sure," coolly replied Tommy. "That is why I am here."
"Tommy," he continued, after a pause in which he had earnestly examined the face of his companion; "Tommy, will you answer me a question?"
"That depends on what the question is," cautiously replied the other. "What is it you want to know?"
"Are you following this party?"
"See here, Ben, the cook lost his wood-sawyer at that last landing. He was bounced along with the rest of the bums. You are in rare good luck, and have secured a passage clear through to New Orleans. All you want is to make yourself solid on the chuck question. Go speak to the cook right off before any fellow gets ahead of you, and tell him you want to saw wood for your grub this trip. It's a splendid chance!" and Tommy shoved Ben toward the galley.
"But Tom, answer my question first; are you following this party?" persisted our hero, his inquisitiveness proof against the allurements of the wood-pile.
Tommy was about to leave him, but changed his mind.