Among the more characteristic amusements was a bath which the girls took toward sunset. All the patrons of the "Palace" were at liberty to disport themselves in the waters of the Allegheny, and to enjoy the company of the mermaids, in the exhilerating waters. The "Floating Palace" was most unquestionably a novelty in its way. As a novelty, it possessed a valuable charm in those days--a charm of exciting speculation, and it was also the means of rapidly circulating money. "Music hath charms," and it charmeth even in a greater degree when floating on the rippling waters, with the bright lights to add brilliancy to the scene. Where amusements for the people were few and money plenty, the "Palace" seemed to break up the monotony of the prosaic hunt for wealth characteristic of the oil regions. The amusements on shore were not of the highest order, and the "Palace" was certainly less objectionable in many respects than some of the amusements which flourished ashore. The "Floating Palace" cost twenty-five hundred dollars, but so great was the success attending it that in sixty days Ben was able to, and did, pay back one thousand dollars of the money he had borrowed. It should be borne in mind that the authorities were constantly making efforts to suppress the business. Ben's ingenuity, however, enabled him to avoid arrest, although he was by no means free from meddlesome interference. The opportunity presented itself, while on the "Palace," to settle up accounts with J----, who, it will be remembered, had instituted the suits against Ben. J----, who visited the boat on a number of occasions, became desperately smitten with the charms of one of the girls, named Lizzie Topley. Becoming aware of this fact, Ben posted Lizzie, who, while she professed the most ardent love for J----, was still loyal to Hogan. One night, in attempting to reach the "Floating Palace," J---- was tumbled into the water, apparently by accident, but really by a preconcerted plan on the part of Ben. That rather dampened his ardor for the fascinating Lizzie, although he may never have suspected that she was at the bottom of the mishap. I have already intimated that large sums of money were made out of the "Floating Palace." For the benefit of the reader who may not be posted in such matters, it is well to explain that the profits were not all of a strictly legitimate character. For example: A man might order half a dozen bottles of champagne without once suspecting that the article furnished him under that name was concocted from Catawba wine and soda water. Little dodges of this kind were harmless enough in themselves, and perhaps the fellow who paid five dollars a bottle for Catawba and soda was just as well off in the end as though he had drunk genuine Piper Heidsick.