about the same age and degree of ordinaries
as Black, but was rather stouter, more cheery, and, to use the favorite
roustabout simile, held his head closer to the current.

He seemed, when Black was absent-minded (as he generally was while off
duty), to be the leading spirit of the couple, and to be tenderly alive
to all of his partner's needs; but observing roustabouts noticed that
when freight was being moved, or wood taken on board, Black was always
where he could keep an eye on his chum, and where he could demand
instant reparation from any wretch who trod upon Red's toes, or who,
with a shoulder-load of wood, grazed Red's head, or touched Red with a
box or barrel.

Next to neighborly wonder as to the existence of the friendship between
the Chums, roustabouts with whom the couple sailed concerned themselves
most with the cause of the bond between them. Their searches after first
causes were no more successful, however, than those of the naturalists
who are endeavoring to ascertain who laid the cosmic egg.

They gave out that they came from Carmi, so, once or twice, when
captains with whom the Chums were engaged determined to seek a cargo up
the Wabash, upon which river Carmi was located, inquisitive roustabouts
became light-hearted. But, alas, for the vanity of human hopes! when the
boat reached Carmi the Chums could not be found, nor could any
inhabitant of Carmi identify them by the descriptions which were given
by inquiring friends.

At length they became known, in their collective capacity, as one of
the institutions of the river. Captains knew them as well as they knew
Natchez or Piankishaw Bend, and showed them to distinguished passengers
as regularly as they showed General Zach. Taylor's plantation, or the
scene of the Grand Gulf "cave," where a square mile of Louisiana dropped
into the river one night. Captains rather cultivated them, in fact,
although it was a difficult bit of business, for roustabouts who
wouldn't say "thank you" for a glass of French brandy, or a genuine,
old-fashioned "plantation cigar," seemed destitute of ordinary handles
of which a steamboat captain, could take hold.

Lady passengers took considerable notice of them, and were more
successful than any one else at drawing them into conversation. The
linguistic accomplishments of the Chums were not numerous, but it did
one good to see Black lose his scared, furtive look when a lady
addressed him, and to see the affectionate deferen