They had talked together about the _Woodville_ on several occasions, and Ben had suggested in what manner he might obtain the debt due him. On the night before the visit of the sheriff to the steamer, the malignant and jealous brother had repeated to his dissipated patron the story of his grievances--that he was a "nobody" at home, and that Lawry wanted to make a deck-hand of him. Though not a badly disposed man in the main, Taylor listened with interest and sympathy to the exaggerated and distorted narrative, and the plan by which Ben was to be put in possession of the steamer was matured. The creditor went to a lawyer, one of his boon companions, who was quite willing to make business for himself; and he had looked up the law and arranged the facts, by which he expected to hold the steamer. Doubtless it was a very ingenious scheme, and perhaps it is unfortunate that the case never came to trial, for it involved some interesting legal points. Thus far the design had been carried out, and Ben was in command of the steamer, as an employee of the sheriff. "I won't be as hard with you, Lawry, as you were with me," said Ben, as he walked up to Lawry in the wheel-house, to which he had retreated to hide his confusion. "This is your work, Ben," replied the youth bitterly. "I was bound to have the command of this steamer, and I have got it," added Ben, with malignant triumph. "I know you have; you put Mr. Taylor up to this, or he never would have done it." "Don't snarl about it, Lawry; the thing is done, and you can't help yourself. The sheriff has given me the command of the boat." "And he has attached the place. Mother will be turned out of house and home!" cried Lawry, unable to repress his tears. "No, she won't; that will be all right." "Oh, Ben! How could you do it?" "You drove me to it. It is all your fault, Lawry; so you needn't whine about it. Don't make a fuss; here comes Taylor." "I don't want to see him," said Lawry, moving toward the door. "Don't go off; I'm going to take Taylor and his friends up the lake, to give them a sail." "The boat is engaged to Mr. Sherwood, to-day." "I can't help it; he will not have her to-day. Come, Lawry, be a man. I won't be as hard with you, I say, as you were with me. I don't ask you to be a deck-hand. You shall be the pilot still." "No, I won't." "Won't you?" "I will not," said Lawry firmly, as he dried his tears. "The boat is engaged to Mr. Sherwood, and he has invited a party to go with him. They were to start at nine o'clock, and they will be down here soon." "Can't help it. I promised to take Taylor and his friends out, and they are all here now. There are the stores for his party," replied Ben, as a couple of men brought a large basket on board, from the top of which protruded the necks of a demijohn and several bottles. "I shall not go with that party," added Lawry. "But I want a pilot," said Ben. "What's the trouble, Wilford?" demanded Taylor.