the Columbia River that the passengers were enlightened as to a
comparatively old trick, which was executed with the utmost promptness
and despatch by a young second mate. This young man was never known to
have any money. Generous in the extreme, and heartily full of fun, he
managed to get rid of his salary as promptly as it was paid him, and his
impecuniosity was a standing joke among members of the crew and regular
passengers. On one occasion the boat met with an accident, and was tied
up at a small town for four or five days. The hero of the story, with a
number of other light-hearted individuals, naturally went ashore on
pleasure bent. They had what is generally called a good time, but what
little funds they had when they started were soon exhausted.

Two or three councils of war were held as to how a supply of liquid
refreshments, of a character not included in the temperance man's bill
of fare, could be obtained. Finally, the second mate undertook to secure
the needful without the expenditure of any money. He borrowed a heavy
overcoat belonging to one of the party, and then hunted up two large
wine bottles. One of these he filled with water and securely corked. The
other he took empty, and with these in his pockets entered the saloon.
Producing the empty bottle he asked the bar-keeper how much he would
charge for filling it, and on hearing the amount told him to go ahead.

As soon as the bottle was filled and returned to the second mate, he
slipped it in his pocket, and in a very matter-of-fact manner began to
make arrangements for the liquidation of the debt, at a convenient
period. The saloon-man naturally resented any discussion of this
character, and told his customer to either pay for the liquor or return
it right away. Assuming an air of injured innocence, our friend took out
the bottle of water, handed it to the barkeeper and said he "guessed
he'd have to take it back." The unsuspecting purveyor of liquor that