RAFTING WITH THE GOOD "TEN BROECK" 145 



could not beg, buy or steal anything to eat. Rather than 

 wait four hours for the night "accommodation" on the 

 C. M. & St. P. to Davenport, I walked three and one- 

 half miles to Long Grove where my old chum Ed. 

 Owen was ticket agent. He took me to his house, made 

 fresh coffee and saved my life. Reaching Davenport, I 

 was too sore and stiff to walk and took a carriage. 



I did not expect to go back on the "Ten Broeck" and 

 though going home I left her as "a tried and faithful 

 friend" that had carried me and our raft through many, 

 many storms, fogs, shallow waters and crooked places 

 all O.K. 



One night going up the river on the "Ten Broeck" 

 with our fuel barge in tow and changing watch at 

 eleven o'clock above Apple river I said to Frank Le- 

 Point who had just taken her (as pilot) , "Frank, I think 

 I see red and green lights up there near the mouth of 

 the Maquoketa (river). In this moonlight the lights 

 don't show very well, but I think he has a raft ahead of 

 him; guess I will wait and see who it is." 



In a few minutes Frank's keen Sioux Indian eyes 

 caught the situation and he said, "Why that man he's 

 tied up. Now why you 'spose anybody tie up a raf on 

 such a night like dis. It mus' be Brasser (Captain 

 George Brasser). He like dat landin." Sure enough! 

 When we got up closer, by four short blasts from her 

 whistle calling for help we recognized the raft-boat 

 "Robert Dodds" of which George Brasser was master. 

 Running in closer I called to ask what he wanted and 

 could see the trouble before he answered: "Ho Cap! 

 This dam fellar wit' his tie raf run into me since I'm 

 landed here and I can't move my boat -he's swung in 

 across the Robert Dodd's wheel. I want you to pull 

 him out of dis." There was a big man with a bass voice 



