PHUS. Golly! mis’. It mus’ be hunky, if it’s sweet, and salt, and fresh, an’ comes in boomin’ at ye, on de rocks, all at once. MARY (_smiling_). Better go out again, Phus, and look among the boys for a mate. PHUS. Yes, mis’. (_Exit_ R.) MARY. I think I’ll write to mother, and tell her my troubles. If she can’t help me any, it will do me good to write; and I can get Phus to carry it to the Post Office before we start. (_She writes._) (_Enter_ MR. ROMBERG.) MR. R. (_slowly and deliberately_). Mrs. Miller, I came to see what you were going to do about the boat. Your husband has been gone a long time; and it seems there is no prospect of his immediate return. So we might as well talk the matter over now as at any other time. MARY (_rises and offers him a seat_). Mr. Romberg? I don’t know as I have seen you before. You are the largest owner in the Creole Bride, I believe? Why do you wish to know what I am going to do? (_Sitting._) MR. R. (_sitting_). I (and the other owners) don’t want the boat to be eating her head off here at the wharf. MARY. We shall not stay here longer than this afternoon. As soon as I come to terms with my mate, I shall be ready to steam her up. MR. R. I don’t see how you can run this boat. MARY (_rising_). Why not, sir? I _have_ run her for the last three or four months. I carried her ’way up the Red and Yellow, and down again to Baton Rouge, through the most crooked part of our whole thousand-mile route; and I steered most of the time myself. The mate don’t know much about handling the wheel. MR. R. The merchants, I find, are not willing to trust you with a cargo; so I don’t see but you will have to give it up. You won’t be able to meet your payments; and I must look out for my own property, as well as that of the rest of the owners, for it is all in my care. MARY. Is not Mr. Miller’s contract as captain of the boat all right? It does not expire till next year. He is all paid up to the first of the month; and I hope to be able to pay the next quarter,—that is, if I can go on running the boat. MR. R. Yes, madam; but you must understand that the contract is with _Captain Miller_, and not with his wife; that is where the trouble is. Husband and wife are not one in this business. Captain Miller’s contract _is_ all right, and he _is_ paid up; but if he dies, the whole thing will have to be settled. MARY (_alarmed_). But my husband is _not_ dead. He is not going to die! Why can’t I run the boat up to Cairo? I have a full cargo, and another is promised there. I know the route for the next three months. I have been over it all. MR. R. (_rising_). Mrs. Miller, you cannot be a captain in name. MARY. But, Mr. Romberg, I _am_ the captain.