te cloth to the spot for
which it was designed, and held an inch or two above the table.
Another tap, and every dish dropped into its place with a sound as of
one soft blow. The pompous head-waiter struck his bell again, and
every dish-cover was touched by a black hand. One more jingle, and,
with magical swiftness and deftness, each dish-cover was lifted, and a
delightful perfume of savory viands gushed forth amidst the
half-suppressed "Ahs" of the assembled and hungry diners. Then the
procession of dark-skinned waiters, bearing the dish-covers, filed
back to the pantry, and the real business of the day began. This was
the way that dinners were served on all the first-rate steamboats on
Western rivers in those days.

To hungry, hearty boys, used of late to the rough fare of the
frontier, and just from a hard trip in an ox-wagon, with very short
rations indeed, this profusion of good things was a real delight.
Sandy's mouth watered, but he gently sighed to himself, "'Most takes
away my appetite." The polite, even servile, waiters pressed the lads
with the best of everything on the generous board; and Sandy's cup of
happiness was full when a jolly darky, his ebony face shining with
good-nature, brought him some frosted cake, charlotte russe, and spun
sugar and macaroons from one of the shattered pyramids.

"D'ye s'pose they break those up every day?" whispered Sandy to the
more dignified Charlie.

"Suttinly, suh," replied the colored man, overhearing the question;
"suttinly, suh. Dis yere boat is de fastest and de finest on de Big
Muddy, young gent; an' dere's nuttin' in dis yere worl' that the 'New
Lucy' doan have on her table; an' doan yer fergit it, young mas'r," he
added, with respectful pride in his voice.

"My! what a tuck-out! I've ate and ate until I'm fairly fit to bust,"
said Sandy, as the three boys, their dinner over, sauntered out into
the open air and beheld the banks of the river swiftly slipping by as
they glided down the stream.

Just then, glancing around, his eye caught the amused smile of a tall
and lovely lady who was standing near by, chatting with two or three
rather superior-looking young people whom the lad had first noticed
when the question of having the baggage brought on board at
Leavenworth was under discussion. Sandy's brown cheek flushed; but the
pretty lady, extending her hand, said: "Pardon my smiling, my boy; but
I have a dear lad at home in Baltimore who always says just that afte