"You're smart, Lawry; but you're not so old as I am."

"I'm old enough to do this job."

"You haven't seen so much of steamboats as I have."

"Now, Benjamin, you mustn't interfere with Lawry's work," interposed
Mrs. Wilford. "He knows what he is about."

"I'm not going to interfere with him; I'm only going to help him."

"If you really want to help me, I'll tell you what you can do," said
Lawry.

"What's that?"

"You can run the ferry."

"Run the ferry!" exclaimed Ben. "Why, I know more about steamboats
than you and your engineer put together. Do you suppose I'm going to
run a ferry-boat when there's a job of this sort on hand?"

"You can help more in this way than in any other," persisted Lawry.

"Run a ferry-boat!" sneered Ben; "that isn't my style."

"We don't need any help on the steamer."

"Yes, you do. At any rate, I'll go down and see what you are about."