"Now tell me something more about this steamer in the bay.
How big is she?"
"I can't told you 'zackly, massa; she as big as de fort."
"Where did she come from?" asked the lieutenant, who had more confidence
in the honesty than in the intelligence of Job.
"I dunno, massa; but she done come in from de sea. When she git off dar
two mile she done stick in de mud," answered the negro, pointing in the
direction of the bar. "Den de little steamers from up the bay take off
de loadin', and she done come in."
"With what was she loaded?"
"All sorts o' tings, massa; guns, and pistols, and close. Dis nigger
help take de tings out ob her."
"What is she doing now in the bay?"
"Loadin' wid cotton de steamers fotch down."
"Where does she lie now?"
"Jes' off de ole Fort Lafitte, whar de water's deep."
In less than half an hour the party reached the locality indicated by
Job. The officer could see the steamer which looked, in the gloom of the
night, as though she was a craft of about five hundred tons. She was
moored in the deep water so far in that she could not be seen by vessels
in the offing. On each side of her was a small river steamer, and she
seemed not to have completed her cargo.
"Do you know the name of that steamer, Uncle Job," inquired Mr.
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