From my upper berth (there was no state-rooms _then_) I could observe the movements of the players. All the contention appeared to be between the captain and the pilots, (the latter personages took it turn and turn about, steering and playing brag), one of them almost invariably winning, while the two passengers merely went through the ceremony of dealing, cutting, and paying up their “antics.” They were anxious to _learn the game_—and they did learn it! Once in a while, indeed, seeing they had two aces and a bragger, they would venture a bet of five or ten dollars; but they were always compelled to back out before the tremendous bragging of the captain or pilot; or if they _did_ venture to “call out” on “two bullits and a bragger,” they had the mortification to find one of the officers had the same kind of a hand, and were _more venerable_! Still, with all these disadvantages, they continued playing—they wanted to learn the game. At two o’clock, the captain asked the mate how we were getting on. “Oh, pretty glibly, Sir!” replied the mate; “we can scarcely tell what headway we _are_ making, for we are obliged to keep the middle of the river, and there is the shadow of a fog rising. This wood seems rather better than that we took in at old yellow-face’s, but we’re nearly out again, and must be looking for more. I saw a light just ahead on the right—shall we hail?” “Yes, yes,” replied the Captain; “ring the bell, and ask ’em what’s the price of wood up here. I’ve got you again; here’s double kings.” I heard the bell and the pilot’s hail: “What’s _your_ price for wood?” A youthful voice on the shore answered: “Three _and_ a quarter!” “Hollo!” ejaculated the captain, who had just lost the price of two cords to the pilot, the strangers suffering _some_ at the same time, “three and a quarter again! Are we _never_ to get to a cheaper country? Deal, Sir, if you please—better luck next time.” The other pilot’s voice was again heard on deck: “How much _have_ you?” “Only about ten cords, Sir,” was the reply of the youthful salesman. The Captain here told Thompson to take six cords, which would last till daylight, and again turned his attention to the game.