Of course I euchred him, as I said I would; but the game broke up,
and as I was winner I paid the bar bill. It was not long before
I noticed some of them talking suspiciously together among themselves,
and I deemed it the part of prudence to slip into my state-room
and get my gun, for then I was not particularly disturbed as to
what they proposed to do. They began to patronize the bar pretty
extensively, and asked the barkeeper who I was. He replied that
he did not know. They said that one of the negroes had said that
I was a gambler, and they were going to lick me before I got off
the boat. The barkeeper soon found an opportunity to tell me what
was up; and as I did not have much confidence in my partner as a
fighter, I concluded I was in for it. I knew, however, that he
was no coward, and if he was attacked would fight. The barkeeper
handed me a "billy," and I strolled back to the barber shop, where
several of them were gathered together. Returning through the
cabin to the bar, I was accosted by one of them, but paid no
attention. Two of them at last approached me as I stood with my
back to the bar, when one of them remarked, "I don't think you won
that money fair."
"I don't care a d--n whether I did or not," I quickly retorted.
So he cut loose at me, and I caught his blow on my arm, let go my
left duke and downed him at once. That was the signal for the
circus to open. They all rushed in, and I began to lay them out
as fast as I could with the billy. Every whack brought blood and
a heavy fall. McGawley and the barkeeper took a hand, the former
hurling a spittoon that cracked a fellow's head open and sent the
blood spurting, while the latter brought a bottle on a raftsman's
skull that raised a welt as big as a cocoanut. Then the Captain
rushed in, and the mate followed with a gang of roustabouts, who
soon had quiet restored. I was hit pretty hard with a chair,
otherwise my injuries were not serious. I did not use my revolver,
as none were drawn, for I never wanted to kill any man.