ugh she knew all about the troubles with her
husband. I looked at her with some interest when she came on deck; but
she seemed to be as cheerful and pleasant as ever. If she had said
anything to the ladies about Griffin, nothing had come to me. As her
husband was not to be on board, I told the steward to give her one of
the after-berths in the cabin. She was so polite, attentive, and kind,
so wholly devoted to her duties, that the ladies had become very much
attached to her, treating her more like a friend than a servant.

Chloe was not more than twenty-two years old. She had been a stewardess
on a Charleston steamer, running up to Pilatka, at the time of her
marriage to Griffin Leeds, who was second waiter in the same boat. She
was entirely familiar with her duties, and when they were reduced to
attendance upon three ladies, she discharged them with the most
punctilious care.

"What are we waiting for, Alick?" asked Washburn, as I seated myself in
the pilot-house when all the preparations for our departure were
completed, and I could think of nothing more to be done, though I had
left the port boat in the water in case it became necessary to go on
shore for a pilot.

"Cornwood has not come off yet," I replied.

"Where is he?"

"I have no idea."

"Does he intend to play us a trick, and leave us in the lurch, now that
we are all ready for a start?" asked the mate, with some anxiety on his
face.

"I don't know, and I don't much care," I replied. "I don't know that I
ought to blame him much, since no fixed hour was named for starting."

"He ought to be on board like the rest of us, so that whenever his
services are required he may be ready to do his work," added Washburn,
impatiently. "You say you don't much care whether or not he intends to
play us a trick and leave us in the lurch. How are you to get on
without a pilot?"

"I can have one on board in half an hour at the most. There are plenty
of them, and I find they are glad to serve in such a nobby craft as the
Sylvania, where they have easy work and the best of grub," I replied.

"There comes a boat. I see the Panama hat and light clothes in it,"
added Washburn, evidently relieved, for he was impatient for the voyage
to begin.

In a minute more the pilot was on the deck of the steamer.

"I hope I have not delayed you," said he, when he saw that we were all
ready to leave.

"Not long," I replied, wishing to make things as pleasant as possible
with him