Gideon's Band Part 70

Can't you?"

"Yes," said Hugh, "she'll be the--" He let Gilmore speak the name interrogatively and merely nodded, smiling.

The _Enchantress_ was within five minutes' run of Carrollton when Watson dropped a quiet word to the roof, where both the Courteneys and Gideon were looking up-stream at a downward-bound steamer which had rounded to and landed under Nine-Mile Point.

"What is she?" asked Gilmore of Watson for his group.

"A Hayle boat, the _Troubadour_," said the pilot; "probably putting off some sugar-house machinery."

The _Enchantress_ neared the huge Carrollton levee. "Good-by."

"Good-by." "Good-by." "Good-by." Down they hurried, the old commodore, the players, the extraneous pair, and the six from Vicksburg and the Bends, followed to the stage plank by "California," and waved to from the after guards by Joy and Phyllis.

"Good-by." "Good-by!" The beautiful craft backed away and turned for Nine-Mile Point. And here came the _Troubadour_, with whistles trumpeting a troubadour's salute to the new queen of the river. The Hayle boat's people had espied their own commodore and the black ma.s.s on their forecastle were singing "Gideon's Band."

With whistles above and song below the _Enchantress_ replied. The whistles ceased; the song was "'Lindy":

"Come, smilin' 'Lindy Lowe, to meet to paht no mo', On de finess boat dat eveh float'

In de O--hi--o, De Mas-sis-sip-pi aw de O--hi--o."

Back at Carrollton on the crown of the levee, standing apart from their companions, the players gazed after the _Enchantress_. The three Hayles had returned to their stand by the derrick post. Hugh was near the two chairs. The actor softly spoke:

"Shall I tell you what Hugh told me?"

"Yes," said the wife.

"Then tell me what Ramsey told you."

"Nothing. She's going to tell it now. Watch!"

They watched together. Ramsey crossed to Hugh, and seemed to speak a word or two, not more. He sat down in the captain's chair and she took the one beside him.

Even Vicksburg and the Bends understood that.

"He told me," murmured the actor, "that the next Courteney boat will be the _Ramsey Hayle_."