"Yessir, the very WUST I ever see on the stern of a boat. That's
what _I_ think, Lem, an' you can take it or leave it."

There was nothing to do but leave it, for we had already left the
bridge behind, and were feoon too far away to hear the critic's
remarks. He continued to give us his opinion, however, for we
could see his jaw move, though we could not make out a single word
he said.

This river was very different from the main stream. Narrow and
muddy, it ran between high banks which were covered with marsh
grass. There were sudden twists and turns, so that we never knew
what might be ahead of us. Sometimes we sailed so near the shore
that the boom swept along the bank, brushing the grass. Once we
turned a corner suddenly, and started up four crows, who were
pecking at a dead fish, and in another place a big crane jumped
clumsily up from a pool, and flapped heavily away. The dark, muddy
water boiled up in thousands of bubbles in our wake.

"We'll see if we can get a mess of clams at Pingree's Beach, an'
then we'll have a chowder for dinner,--what d'yer say, boys?"

We all said that the Captain's idea was a good one. There was a
sharp turn in the river just then, and he put the boat about to
round a sort of headland, where the banks were eight or ten feet
high.

"Hard-a-lee! Look out for your heads," he shouted; and when the
sail had swung over he continued: "I come up through here one