Frank on the Lower Mississippi | Page 4

voice through the trumpet that led from
the pilot-house to the main deck. "What a shot--altogether too much
elevation."
"Who's that, I wonder?" soliloquized Frank. "It was a poor shot, but I'd
like to see that fellow, whoever he is, do any better."
After giving orders to have the gun reloaded and secured, he ran into
the wardroom to look after his mail, at the same time inquiring of every
one he met, "Who was that making fun of my shooting?" But no one
knew, nor cared to trouble himself about the matter, for the subject of
conversation was, "We've got a new paymaster."
Frank was pleased to hear this, but was still determined to find the
person who had laughed at his marksmanship, when he saw a pair of
feet descending the ladder that led from the cabin to the pilot-house,
and a moment afterward, a smart looking young officer, dressed in the
uniform of a paymaster, stood in the wardroom, and upon discovering
Frank, thrust out his hand and greeted him with--
"What a shot! Been in the service more than two years, and"--
"Why, Archie Winters, is this you?" exclaimed Frank, joyfully.
"Paymaster Winters, if you please" replied Archie, with mock dignity.

"How came you here? What are you doing? Got any money?" hurriedly
inquired Frank.
"Got plenty of funds," replied his cousin. "But I say, Frank, how long
has this fighting been going on?"
"Every day for the last week."
Archie shrugged his shoulders, and looked blank.
"I guess I had better go back to Cairo," said he; "these rebels, I hear,
shoot very carelessly. Just before we came alongside here, I was
standing on the deck of the dispatch-boat, and some fellow cracked
away at me, sending the bullet altogether too close to my head for
comfort."
"Oh, that's nothing, so long as he didn't hit you. You'll get used to that
before you have been here a week. But, Archie, are you really ordered
to this vessel?"
Archie at once produced his orders, and, sure enough, he was an acting
assistant paymaster, and ordered to "report to the commanding officer
of the U. S. S. Boxer for duty on board that vessel."
During the two years that Archie had been in the fleet-paymaster's
office he had, by strict attention to his duties, worked his way up from
"writer" to corresponding clerk. He had had ample opportunity to learn
the duties of paymaster, and one day he suddenly took it into his head
to make application for the position. He immediately wrote to his father,
informing him of his intention, procured his letters of recommendation,
and a month afterward received the appointment.
Hearing, through Frank, that the Boxer was without a paymaster, he
succeeded in getting ordered to her, and, as he had not written to his
cousin of his good fortune, the latter, as may be supposed, was taken
completely by surprise.
Archie was speedily introduced to the officers of the vessel, who were

pleased with his off-hand, easy manners, and delighted with the looks
of a small safe which he had brought with him, for they knew, by the
very particular orders he gave concerning it, that there was money in it.
At the end of an hour the rebels seemed to grow weary of the fight, for
they drew off their forces; then, as soon as it was safe on deck, the
cousins seated themselves on the guard, to "talk over old times." Frank
gave descriptions of the fights in which he had engaged since they last
met, and also related stories of mess-room life, with which Archie was
entirely unacquainted; and to show him how things were conducted,
told him of the jokes the officers frequently played upon each other.
"Speaking of jokes," said Archie, "reminds me of a little affair I had a
hand in at Cairo.
"While the commandant of the station was absent on a leave, his place
was supplied by a gentleman whom, for short, I will call Captain Smith.
He was a regular officer, had grown gray in the service, and was one of
the most eccentric men I ever saw. He was extremely nervous, too, and
if a steamer happened to whistle while passing the wharf-boat, it would
make him almost wild.
"One day, a man who lived off somewhere in the woods, came down to
Cairo to get an appointment for his son as master's mate. Our office,
you know, was just to the right of the door, and, if there was any thing
that bothered me, it was for some body to stick his head over the railing
when I was busy, and ask, 'Is the commandant of the station in?' There
was an orderly on watch day and night, always ready to answer such