Part 7 (1/2)

Toan running his fingers over the bills He wanted to see if they were all there

”I don't want anything,” said the clerk ”I wouldn't take anything if you were to offer it to o and see the clerk I'”

Tom at once picked up his valise and fell in behind the clerk, who led the way on board the _Ivanhoe_ By dodging in the rear of so knocked overboard, and soon found hi out soed his pencil froh to shake Tom by the hand

”Go up on the boiler deck and set down there till I come,” said he

”I'll attend to your case in just no ti that no one else paid any attention to him, Tom ascended the stairs and entered the cabin He wanted to see what sort of a looking place it was, but almost recoiled when he opened the door, for it was filled so full of stale tobacco smoke that he did not see how anybody could live in it But he knew that he would have to become accusto, so he kept on and finally found a chair at the further end of the cabin There was no one near him except a man whose arms were outstretched on the table and his face buried in his hands; and when Tom approached, he raised his head and exhibited a countenance that was literally burning up with fever He was dressed like a cowboy, but there didn't seem to be anyone to attend to his wants

”I say,” said he, in a faint voice, ”I wish you would be good enough to bring lass of water”

”Certainly I will,” replied To his valise in the chair

He did not knohere to go to get it, but as he turned into a little ganghich he thought ought to lead to the galley he encountered a darky, and to hilass, but for a whole pitcher of ice-water With these in his hand he went back to the sick lass of water which Tom poured out for him, seized the pitcher and drained it nearly dry Then he set it down, and with a sigh of relief settled back in his chair

”I have been waiting for an hour for soth enough to go after it,” said he, with a smile ”I knehere it ell, it stayed there”

”Fever and ague?” said Toet it whenever I come to this country”

”I should think you would keep away from it, then”

”Well, I had to coovernot it Ah! here coht to have been here and tended to me,” added the man, as one of those handsome cowboys that Tom had noticed on the main-deck rapidly approached the table When he saw the pitcher of ice-water, he stopped and gazed in consternation

”So calomel,” he explained to Tom

”He never said a word to ht he was in a fair prospect of getting himself into trouble

”You know the doctor said youthat powder,” continued the cowboy, looking at Tom as if he had a mind to throw the pitcher at his head

”The kid is all right,” said the sick o away and let o to sleep”

He stretched himself out on the table once more, and the coent off to consult with his chum In a few minutes he came back with him, and all they could do was to try to arouse the ht they had better do for him; but to such interruptions he always replied: ”No, no, boys! I'iven that man so much water,” said one of the cowboys ”But after all it's our own fault, Hank One of us ought to have stayed here with him”

Tom Mason did not knohat to say, and neither was he able to account for so much forbearance on the part of the cowboys He looked to see the that they drew chairs up beside their sick co to happen to him, and Tom, filled with remorse, went out on the boiler-deck Just then the _Jennie June's_ bell rang, the lines and gang-planks were hauled in, and she backed down the river to her s Then the _Ivanhoe's_ bell was struck, and instantly a great hubbub arose aers Hands were shaken, farewells were said, and in tenher way up the river Tom had an opportunity to sit down after that He pulled a chair up to the railing and sat there for tenhow calomel would operate on that man after he had drank ice-water on top of it; and consequently he did not feel very safe when he saw the tboys approaching him He had left them to watch over the sick man, and he did not like to have them follow hiot the only lower bunk there is in the cabin, and ant to see if you won't give it up to that sick boss of ours The ive it up, but we don't want it”

”You can have it and welco hilass of water, but he wouldn't take it”

Having given up his bed, Tom considered that he had done all that a boy could do to ave the clerk his ht came found a pallet made up for hiet regarding the sick ht his attendants so hard that it was all they could do to take his clothes off