with anybody? Why, 'twould ruin me. It's different with
you who don't have to meet anybody but religious old farmers. Besides,
you've just been married."

"And you've been married for five years," said Fred, with a sudden sense
of help at hand. "How do you suppose _your_ wife feels?"

Captain Crayme's jollity subsided a little, but with only a little
hesitation he replied:

"Oh! she's used to it; she doesn't mind it."

"You're the only person in town that thinks so, Sam," said Fred.

Captain Crayme got up and paced his little stateroom two or three times,
with a face full of uncertainty. At last he replied:

"Well, between old friends, Fred, I don't think so very strongly myself.
Hang it! I wish I'd been brought up a preacher, or something of the
kind, so I wouldn't have had business ruining my chances of being the
right sort of a family man. Emily _don't_ like my drinking, and I've
promised to look up some other business; but 'tisn't easy to get out of
steamboating when you've got a good boat and a first-rate trade. Once
she felt so awfully about it that I _did_ swear off--don't tell
anybody, for God's sake! but I did. I had to look out for my character
along the river, though; so I swore off on the sly, and played sick. I'd
give my orders to the mates and clerks from my bed in here, and then I'd
lock myself in, and read novels and the Bible to keep from thinking.
'Twas awful dry work all around; but 'whole hog or none' is _my_ style,
you know. There was fun in it, though, to think of doing something that
no other captain on the river ever did. But thunder! by the time night
came, I was so tired of loafing that I wrapped a blanket around my head
and shoulders, like a Hoosier, sneaked out the outer door here, and
walked the guards, between towns; but I was so frightened for fear some
one would know me that the walk did me more harm than good. And blue!
why a whole cargo of indigo would have looked like a snowstorm alongside
of my feelings the second day; 'pon my word, Fred, I caught myself
crying in the afternoon, just before dark, and I couldn't find out what
for, either. I tell _you_ I was scared, and things got worse as time
spun along; the dreams I had that night made me howl, and I felt worse
yet when daylight came along again. Toward the next night I was just
afraid to go to sleep; so I made up my mind to get well, go on duty, and
dodge everybody that it seemed I ought to drink with. Why, the Lord
bless you