CHAPTER XXII. THE FIRST DAY.

 Bob was accustomed to rowing, but navigation with the ferry-boat presented a new and interesting problem which he was eager to solve. A steering² apparatus³ had been rigged up at the stern, which was found strong enough for the purpose required. Bob took his place at the helm in starting, and managed for the first hour to regulate the direction of his craft. By that time they came to a place where the creek⁴ widened considerably⁵, and the boat showed a disposition⁶ to whirl round in an eddy⁷. This difficulty, however, was overcome by practice, and Bob began to acquire confidence in himself as a navigator. But it was evident that he could not remain at the helm all day.

 

"Come here, Clip," he said; "I want you to rest me in steering."

 

Clip took his place, but his first attempts[Pg 190] proved discouraging. He was inclined to steer¹ in just the reverse direction, and twice came near running the boat ashore⁸.

 

"What are you about, Clip?" demanded Bob, in excitement. "Don't you see you are running the boat ashore?"

 

"I done just like you, Massa Bob," protested Clip. "De boat acts contrary; never see such an ol' boat."

 

"It is you that are contrary, Clip. You don't do as I tell you."

 

"I 'clar to gracious I did, Massa Bob. I can't never learn to steer."

 

In fact, Clip, who was naturally lazy, found it very irksome to stand at the helm, and much preferred going here and there on the boat and surveying the scenery on either bank. He hoped that his incompetence⁹ would save him from the task. But his dream was rudely disturbed.

 

"If you can't take your turn in steering, Clip," said Bob, "you won't be of any use to me. I shall have to send you home, and get along with Sam's assistance."

 

"Oh, don't send me home, Massa Bob!"[Pg 191] exclaimed Clip, in alarm. "I'll try—'deed I will."

 

"I'll try you a little longer, Clip," said Bob; "but you must not blame me for sending you back, if it is necessary."

 

No better argument could have been used to insure satisfactory work from Clip, who was naturally careless, and inclined to shirk work. Nevertheless, Bob felt glad that he had another assistant in Sam Wolverton, who proved to possess all the qualities which Clip lacked.

 

When it was one o'clock, Clip began to show signs of distress¹⁰.

 

"I'm pow'ful hungry, Massa Bob," he said, in a pleading tone.

 

"So am I, Clip," returned Bob, with a smile. "I will see if I can't do something to relieve you."

 

He had brought from home a basket of sandwiches and a gallon of milk. To these the boys did ample justice, displaying even more appetite than usual. This was not surprising, for they had worked hard, and this in the open air.[Pg 192]

 

"Sam," said Bob, "I can't hope to supply you with all the delicacies¹¹ you would get at home, but I hope you'll make it do with our humble¹² fare."

 

Sam smiled.

 

"All the delicacies on Uncle Aaron's table wouldn't spoil anybody's digestion¹³. I like my dinner to-day better than any I've eaten for a long time. I don't know what uncle and aunt would say if they could see me here."

 

"De ol' man would be wild," said Clip, with a guffaw¹⁴.

 

"I expect he would, Clip. He isn't fond of me, but he doesn't want to lose me. He will have to do his own chores now, for I don't believe he can get a boy to work for him."

 

About six o'clock in the afternoon, having arrived opposite a town which I will call Rushford, Bob decided¹⁵ to tie up for the night. He and Clip went on shore, leaving Sam in charge of the boat. He did not dare to leave it unguarded, for the cargo¹⁶, according to his estimate, was worth not far from three thousand dollars.

 

He took the opportunity to enter a [Pg 193]restaurant, where he bought Clip and himself cups of coffee, and ordered a fresh supply of sandwiches made up, which he arranged to have delivered at the boat early the next morning.

 

"I don't mean that we shall starve, Clip," he said.

 

Clip showed his teeth.

 

"Dat coffee's awful good, Massa Bob," he said.

 

"Yes, but we can't make it on board the boat. I shall have to depend on getting it at the villages on the way."

 

"How far are we from home, Massa Bob?"

 

"Well thought of, Clip. I will inquire."

 

He asked the keeper of the restaurant the distance to Carver.

 

"I don't know, but I think my waiter comes from that neighborhood. Sam, how far away is Carver?"

 

"Forty miles," answered Sam promptly¹⁷.

 

"I thought it had been more. We have been eight hours coming on the river."

 

That is because the river (they had left the creek fifteen miles up) was winding¹⁸ in its course.[Pg 194]

 

On the whole, however, Bob decided that it was very fair progress for the first day, and that only about two-thirds of the time.

 

Rushford was a town of fifteen hundred inhabitants, and presented as busy an appearance as a town three times the size in the East. Clip, who was fond of variety, was reluctant to return to the boat, but Bob said:

 

"We must relieve Sam, and give him a chance to come ashore and get some coffee. You come with him, and show him the restaurant."

 

This arrangement suited Clip, who liked as much variety and excitement as possible.

 

On returning to the boat Bob was somewhat surprised to find his young lieutenant¹⁹ in conversation with an old lady dressed in antediluvian²⁰ costume. She had a sharp face, with an eager, birdlike look, and seemed to be preferring a request.

 

"Here's the captain; you can ask him," said Sam, who seemed much relieved by the return of Bob.

 

"Is he the captain?" asked the old lady. "Why, he's nothin' but a boy!"[Pg 195]

 

"He's all the captain we have," answered Sam.

 

"Be you in charge of this boat?" asked the old lady.

 

"Yes, ma'am. What can I do for you?"

 

"I want to go down to St. Louis," said the old lady, "and I thought maybe you might find room for me."

 

"But, ma'am, why don't you take passage on a river steamer?"

 

"They charge too much," said the old lady. "I hain't got much money, and I s'pose you wouldn't charge me much. Are you any acquainted in St. Louis?"

 

"No, ma'am."

 

"I thought maybe you might know my darter's husband. He keeps a grocery store down near the river. His name is Jeremiah Pratt, and my darter's name is Melinda Ann. I want to give 'em a surprise."

 

"I never met the gentleman."

 

"When do you start?"

 

"To-morrow morning about half-past seven o'clock."

 

"Can't you put it off till eight? I've got to[Pg 196] pack my trunk over night, and I've got to eat a bit of breakfast to stay my stummik. How much do you charge? I'd be willing to pay you seventy-five cents."

 

"How much do the steamboats charge?" asked Bob.

 

"I think it's six dollars, or it may be seven. That's too much for a poor woman like me."

 

"I think you will have to pay it, madam, for we have no accommodation for passengers on our boat."

 

"Oh, I ain't a mite²¹ particular. You can put me anywhere."

 

"I suppose you wouldn't be willing to get into a grain bin²²?"

 

"Oh, now you're jokin'. Where do you sleep yourself?"

 

"On a mattress²³ on the floor; that wouldn't be suitable for a lady like you. Besides, we have no separate rooms."

 

"Then you can't take me, no way?" asked the old lady, disappointed.

 

"I am afraid not, madam."

 

"You're real disobligin'. I don't see how I am to get to St. Louis."[Pg 197]

 

"I am sorry I can't help you."

 

The old woman hobbled off in evident anger. Bob heard afterwards that she was a woman of ample means, fully²⁴ able to afford steamboat fare, but so miserly that she grudged²⁵ paying it.

 

"Now, Sam," said Bob, "Clip will show you the way to a restaurant where you can get a hot cup of coffee and a plate of meat, if you desire it."

 

While the boys were gone, Bob received a visitor.

1 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

2 steering   

n.操舵装置

参考例句：

• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration. 他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。
• Steering according to the wind, he also framed his words more amicably. 他真会看风使舵，口吻也马上变得温和了。

3 apparatus   

n.装置，器械；器具，设备

参考例句：

• The school's audio apparatus includes films and records.学校的视听设备包括放映机和录音机。
• They had a very refined apparatus.他们有一套非常精良的设备。

4 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

5 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

6 disposition   

n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署

参考例句：

• He has made a good disposition of his property.他已对财产作了妥善处理。
• He has a cheerful disposition.他性情开朗。

7 eddy   

n.漩涡，涡流

参考例句：

• The motor car disappeared in eddy of dust.汽车在一片扬尘的涡流中不见了。
• In Taylor's picture,the eddy is the basic element of turbulence.在泰勒的描述里，旋涡是湍流的基本要素。

8 ashore   

adv.在(向)岸上，上岸

参考例句：

• The children got ashore before the tide came in.涨潮前，孩子们就上岸了。
• He laid hold of the rope and pulled the boat ashore.他抓住绳子拉船靠岸。

9 incompetence   

n.不胜任，不称职

参考例句：

• He was dismissed for incompetence. 他因不称职而被解雇。
• She felt she had been made a scapegoat for her boss's incompetence. 她觉得，本是老板无能，但她却成了替罪羊。

10 distress   

n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛

参考例句：

• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
• Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。

11 delicacies   

n.棘手( delicacy的名词复数 )；精致；精美的食物；周到

参考例句：

• Its flesh has exceptional delicacies. 它的肉异常鲜美。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• After these delicacies, the trappers were ready for their feast. 在享用了这些美食之后，狩猎者开始其大餐。 来自英汉非文学 - 民俗

12 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

13 digestion   

n.消化，吸收

参考例句：

• This kind of tea acts as an aid to digestion.这种茶可助消化。
• This food is easy of digestion.这食物容易消化。

14 guffaw   

n.哄笑；突然的大笑

参考例句：

• All the boys burst out into a guffaw at the joke.听到这个笑话，男孩子们发出一阵哄笑。
• As they guffawed loudly,the ticket collector arrived.他们正哈哈大笑的时候，检票员到了。

15 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

16 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

17 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

18 winding   

n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈

参考例句：

• A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。
• The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。

19 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

20 antediluvian   

adj.史前的，陈旧的

参考例句：

• His ideas are positively antediluvian!他的思想是纯粹的老古董。
• This antediluvian monetary system has now been replaced by the up-to-date monetary system of Japan.这种旧式的金融体系也已经被现代化的日本系统所取代。

21 mite   

n.极小的东西；小铜币

参考例句：

• The poor mite was so ill.可怜的孩子病得这么重。
• He is a mite taller than I.他比我高一点点。

22 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

23 mattress   

n.床垫，床褥

参考例句：

• The straw mattress needs to be aired.草垫子该晾一晾了。
• The new mattress I bought sags in the middle.我买的新床垫中间陷了下去。

24 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

25 grudged   

怀恨（grudge的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The mean man grudged the food his horse ate. 那个吝啬鬼舍不得喂马。
• He grudged the food his horse ate. 他吝惜马料。