passed him on his
way out of the captain's cabin. "I'll have your place, too, before a
great while."

"Maybe you will--when I'm through with it," replied Nat, quite pleased
with the way things had turned out, yet wishing he could completely
vindicate himself. "But I tell you one thing, Sam Shaw, if you try any
more of your tricks on me I'll give you the worst licking you ever
had."

The boys were outside of the cabin now, and on the deck.

"You will, eh?"

"Yes, I will, and don't you forget it! You put those cigarettes in my
pocket, and you know it."

"Oh, I did, eh? Then why didn't you prove it?" sneered Sam.

"I will, some day, and when I do--well, look out--that's all," and Nat
turned away and went back to his work.

Though the incident seemed closed, there was not the best of feeling
between Captain Marshall and the pilot. As for the mate, he was so
angry at Mr. Weatherby that he would not speak to him.

The _Jessie Drew_ continued on her voyage. Stops were made at several
ports in Saginaw Bay, where cargo was either discharged or taken on.
Sam kept himself out of Nat's way, but this was not difficult, for
Nat found plenty to do, as, since he grasped matters rapidly, the
purser turned more and more work over to him.

Nat was glad of this, since he wanted to learn all he could, and he
was rapidly advancing. Mr. Dunn complimented him on his aptitude for
the work, and said it would not be long before he could qualify for
the position of assistant purser.

"Then I suppose you'll be after my place," he said.

"No, indeed," answered Nat with a smile. "You've been too kind to me."

"I wish I could have done more for you at that investigation. It's too
bad my memory is so faulty. I have to make a note of everything the
minute it happens, or I'd forget it. I get so used to relying on books
and memoranda in this position that I'm lost without them."

"Don't worry about it," said Nat. "It's all right. Some time I'll
prove what a mean trick Sam played on me, and then I'll be satisfied."

Mr. Weatherby did not forget his promise to teach Nat all he could
about piloting, and many a day the lad spent in learning the different
points and studying the lake, its various headlands, lighthouses,
buoys and other marks on which navigators have to depend.

"You're coming on well, Nat," said the old pilot one day. "It won't
be long before you can qualify for an assistant pilot, and then it
will be only a matter of a few