"If you had got near enough to smell his breath to-day, you would have
known that he drank liquor. He never seems to be very bad, but whiskey
makes him ugly."

"He seems to be a good friend of Mr. Cornwood," I suggested.

"Well, he ought to be; for Mr. Cornwood got him out of a very bad
scrape when he nearly killed a man in Jacksonville last January. I
don't think much of Mr. Cornwood, neither. I reckon he uses Griffin as
a witness when he wants one, for Griffin will swear to anything."

"Did Mr. Cornwood ever fall overboard, and Griffin save him?"

"Never in this world! He never sailed in the same vessel with him,
except this one."

"Do you know Captain Parker Boomsby, Chloe?"

"Never heard of him before."

"You had better go to the cabin now. As long as you remain on board, I
will see that you are protected," I said, rising from my stool, for it
was about time for the pilot to come on deck.

"Thank you, Captain Garningham. I have told the ladies how I am
situated, and they promise to help me all they can," replied Chloe, as
she tripped lightly to the companion-way aft.

It appeared from the statement of the stewardess that Cornwood had been
lying to me right along in regard to Griffin Leeds. He had no interest
in him, except to have him on board to act as a spy and listener upon
me. But in spite of this fact--and I had no doubt it was a
fact--Cornwood was an exceedingly useful person on board of the
Sylvania. I could not believe that he had been acting as a guide for
parties, though it was plain that he was entirely familiar with the
State of Florida.

The pilot took his place at the wheel, and Washburn and I went to
supper. We talked freely before Cobbington, who told us that Cornwood
had offered him five dollars to be a witness in a case of assault he
had not seen; but he would rather starve than commit a crime.

CHAPTER XXIV.

GREEN COVE SPRINGS AND GOVERNOR'S CREEK.

By the time we had finished our supper, the steamer was in sight of
Green Cove Springs. Magnolia was abreast of us, and we had passed
Hibernia; but nothing was in sight from either place except the hotels,
where winter boarders from the North are domiciled, and at the former a
few cottages. There were plenty of "crackers," or natives, in the
country; but they did not appear to live on the banks of the river. The
ladies were seated in the pilot-house, observing the scenery, which by
this time had become a little monotonous, tho