s;--and of course you must be landed there."

"And that would lose you the race?"

"Certainly."

"Then, of course, I must _not_ be landed there. What care I for a day?
I am not so old but that I can spare one. Ha! ha! ha! You shall not
lose your race, and the reputation of your fine boat, on my account.
Think not of landing, cher Capitaine! Take me on to Baton Rouge. I can
get back in the morning!"

A cheer rose from the auditory; and the Captain, rushing back to the
pilot, countermanded his late order.

The Belle again stands in the wake of the Magnolia, and again scarce two
hundred yards of the river lie between. The rumbling of their
machinery--the booming of their steam--the plashing of their paddles--
the creaking of their planks--the shouts of those on board, mingle in
rude concert.

Up forges the Belle--up--up--gaining in spite of the throes of her
antagonist. Up, nearer still--nearer, till her head laps upon the
stern, then the wheel-house, then the foredeck of the Magnolia! Now the
lights of both cross each other--their fires glow together upon the
water--they are head and head!

Another foot is gained--the Captain waves his hat--and the cheer of
triumph peals forth!

That cheer was never finished. Its first notes had scarce broke upon
the midnight air, when it was interrupted by an explosion like the
bursting of some vast magazine--an explosion that shook the air, the
earth, and the water! Timbers crashed and flew upward--men shouted as
their bodies were projected to the heavens--smoke and vapour filled the
air--and one wild cry of agony arose upon the night!

CHAPTER TWELVE.

THE LIFE-PRESERVER.

The concussion, unlike anything I had ever heard, was, nevertheless,
significant of the nature of the catastrophe. I felt an instantaneous
conviction that the boilers had burst, and such in reality was the fact.

At the moment, I chanced to be on the balcony in rear of my state-room.
I was holding by the guard-rail,--else the shock and the sudden lurch of
the boat would have flung me headlong.

Scarce knowing what I did, I staggered into my state-room, and through
the opposite door into the main saloon.

Here I paused and looked around me. The whole forward part of the boat
was shrouded in steam and smoke, and already a portion of the hot
scalding vapour floated through the cabin.

Dreading the contact of this, I rushed aft; but by a fortunate chance
the lurch of the boat had broug