.
Several threatened him, laughingly, that they would never travel by his
boat again; while others accused him of a want of gallantry. Surely it
was impossible to resist such banterings; and I watched the Captain
closely, expecting a crisis one way or the other. The crisis was at
hand.

Drawing himself up in the midst of a knot of these importunates, he thus
addressed them:--

"Ladies! Nothing would give me more pleasure than to gratify you, but
before leaving New Orleans I gave my promise--in fact, passed my word of
honour to a lady--" Here the gallant speech was interrupted by a young
lady, who, rushing up from another part of the boat, cried out--

"Oh, Capitaine! cher Capitaine! do not let that wicked boat get ahead of
us! do put on more steam, and pass her--that is a dear Captain!"

"Why, Mademoiselle!" replied the Captain, in astonishment, "it was to
you I gave the promise not to run--it was--"

"Pardieu!" exclaimed Mademoiselle Besancon, for it was she. "So you
did. I had quite forgotten it. Oh, cher Capitaine, I release you from
that promise. _Helas_! I hope it is not too late. For Heaven's sake,
try to pass her! _Ecoutez! les polissons_! how they taunt us!"

The Captain's face brightened up for a moment, and then suddenly resumed
its vexed expression. He replied--

"Mademoiselle, although grateful to you, I regret to say that under the
circumstances I cannot hope to run successfully against the Magnolia.
We are not on equal terms. _She is burning bacon hams_, of which she
has a large supply. I should have had the same, but after promising you
not to run, I, of course, did not take any on board. It would be
useless to attempt a race with only common cord-wood--unless indeed the
Belle be much the faster boat, which we do not yet know, as we have
never tried her speed."

Here appeared to be a dilemma, and some of the ladies regarded
Mademoiselle Besancon with looks of displeasure.

"Bacon hams!" she exclaimed; "bacon hams did you say, cher Capitaine?
How many would be enough? Would two hundred be enough?"

"Oh! less than that," replied the Captain.

"Here! Antoine! Antoine!" continued she, calling to the old steward.
"How many bacon hams have you on board?"

"Ten barrels of them, Mademoiselle," answered the steward, bowing
respectfully.

"Ten barrels! that will do, I suppose? Cher Capitaine, they are at your
service!"

"Mademoiselle, I shall pay you for them," said the Captain,