ousin
Owen was to have the use of the steamer for a year, one half of which
had now expired.

The Tiffanys were father and daughter, whom the crew of the Sylvania
had saved from a fire at St. Augustine. The gentleman was an intimate
friend of my father, who requested him to see me when he visited this
country. His daughter Margie, if not as pretty as Edith Shepard,
interested me more. As arranged before we left Detroit, we were to go
up the Mississippi River. The Tiffanys had accepted the invitation to
join us, for they were tourists for pleasure and observation.

My father was an English baronet, succeeding to the title and estates
by the death of an elder brother. He had served in the army for many
years, and had attained the rank of major. He was better pleased to be
called by his military than by his family title, in this republican
land. But he was too proud to allow me to continue in the employ of my
cousin, though he did not object to his nephew as a passenger when I
desired it. He left everything to me to manage as I pleased after he
had cancelled the charter agreement. With this abstract of previous
events my readers will be prepared to understand what is to follow.

Captain Boomsby's saloon was on Bay Street. He had a bar for the white
and respectable customers on that street, and another in the rear for
negroes. I was never even tempted to drink any intoxicating beverages;
and when he became a rumseller, I thought my tyrant had found his
proper level. His son Nick tended the front bar, while he waited upon
the negroes, who imbibed the cheapest corn-whiskey and apple-brandy by
the tumbler-full at a dram.

When I went into the saloon Captain Boomsby was seated in the rear of
the room, where he had a view of both bars. He was at least half "full"
himself. He was badly bloated, and his face was red and almost
honeycombed with toddy-blossoms.

"Well, Sandy, what do you want now?" demanded the saloon-keeper, when I
came into his presence. He did not call me "Alick," as others did, but
still used the name by which I had been known when he took me from the
poor-house in the State of Maine.

"Nothing, Captain Boomsby; only we sail to-morrow, and I thought I
would say good-by to you, for I may never see you again," I replied.

"I never want to see you no more," growled he. "You've always behaved
bad ever since I fust knowed you, and you will come to some bad end
yet."

"I hope not," I said, seating myself.