STEPHEN MARTIN. 143 



eat von of dose muschels, he don'd got some pepper- 

 sauce. Oh, Stefe, you vas scart und you pack oud!" 



The question had assumed a personal form., and Steve 

 was getting warm. The reflection on his courage braced 

 him up, and after giving Pete a look which might have 

 meant that he would like to cut him up for fish bait, he 

 asked, "Where is the pepper and salt?" These things 

 put before him, he selected a mussel of medium size, 

 groped about until he found one to match it in size and 

 shape, and with one in each hand he offered me the 

 choice in the courtly manner that duellists are reported 

 to do upon the field of honor. My careless challenge 

 might have been passed by if only Martin and I had been 

 present, but the comment of Loeser settled it. A contest 

 was unavoidable. A choice was made, and each opened 

 his mollusk, salted and peppered it with deliberation. 

 Then, eye to eye, we raised the shells and took in the 

 contents. 



Charley Scott, brother to George and the firm of gun- 

 smiths, watched the faces of the contestants closely, and 

 after the last morsel was swallowed by each said: "Well, 

 if mussels ain't good to eat, you fellows lie. I've been 

 a-waitin' to see one of you weaken on 'em, but you only 

 looked at each other as if you were chewin' oysters." 



The truth is that we afterward acknowledged to each 

 other that fresh-water mussels might be good for fish 

 bait, but we had no very great desire to eat any more. 

 There is a remembrance of a combination of toughness, 

 sweetness and sliminess which did not provoke an appe- 

 tite for more. We put on a bold front and challenged 

 the other boys to try them. Martin even went so far as 

 to say that they were as good as oysters. This state- 

 ment was received with some doubt, and Charley Scott 

 suggested that if Steve thought so he could save money 



