The aged draw-tender had the air of a man who was expected to find
fault, and was quite able to do it.

"Hadn't noticed it," replied the Captain, shortly.

He was attending closely to sailing the boat through the narrow
gap in the bridge. The old man cackled.

"Guess you'll find, when you git her outside, that them boys 'll
wish you had some more ballast in her."

Then he caught sight of the name on the stern.

"Hopper-grass! Hoppergrass! Where didger git that air name, Lem?
Invent it yerself?"

"No, I didn't," said the Captain. He was very much irritated, and
he did not look around.

"Well, then, if 'taint yer own inventin', I jes as soon tell yer--
if yer ask ME,--that it's the most ding-busted, tom-fool name I
ever see on a cat-boat in all my born days."

"Well, I didn't ask yer," shouted Captain Bannister, "an' it don't
matter two cents to me WHAT you think."

The ancient cackled again. Either he was deaf, or else he was
pretending not to hear, in order to thorn the Captain. He kept on
with his remarks.