THE LeCLAIRE NAVIGATION COMPANY 125 



pleased every cook who followed him. He was a great 

 help to me in fitting up the cabin and pilot-house and 

 when we got all done we were real cozy and comfort- 

 able. 



Mr. J. W. Van Sant, Captain Sam's father, had re- 

 tired from the boat yard but lived near it and visited it 

 frequently when the work was rushing in spring. 



I knew Mr. Van Sant to be an excellent ship carpen- 

 ter and a man of superior judgment in repair work. So 

 I sought his advice as to what work we should do on 

 the hull of the "Last Chance." The instruction and sug- 

 gestions he gave me on that job and others were of great 

 value to me then and later when I had to superintend 

 the repairs on a fleet of steamboats every winter. 



J. W. Van Sant was a very modest, quiet man but he 

 had a keen streak of humor. 



One day he proposed to "set up the old spike heads 

 that stuck out considerably on her old sides if I would 

 get a boy to hold the spike set." I got a husky young 

 chap whose father was a good carpenter in the yard. 

 Mr. Van Sant did not use tobacco nor like it but he sel- 

 dom indulged in any criticism of another's habits. 



In moving from one berth to another Mr. Van Sant 

 was always there with his maul ready and waiting for 

 the young chap to take a chew and slowly get himself 

 around in position. 



Working just inside I heard Mr. Van Sant ask the 

 boy, "Ben, did you ever see any snails?" The boy ex- 

 pectorated and asked, "What's 'at?" 



"Did you ever see any snails?" "Yes, lots of 'em," 

 said Ben. 



"Well," said Mr. Van, "You must have met them, 

 you never overtook any of them." 



One stormy day in March, 1882, when it was too bad 



