Ealer

Ealer, whom he loved, and in September of that year obtained a full license as Mississippi River pilot. 18 Bixby had returned by this time, and they were again together, first on the Crescent City, later on a fine new boat called the New Falls City.

Mark Twain: A Biography 2003

He and his pilot-house were shot up into the air; then they fell, and Ealer sank through the ragged cavern where the hurricane deck and the boiler deck had been, and landed in a nest of ruins on the main deck, on top of one of the unexploded boilers, where he lay prone in a fog of scalding and deadly steam.

Is Shakespeare Dead? 1909

When the Pennsylvania blew up and became a drifting rack-heap freighted with wounded and dying poor souls (my young brother Henry among them), pilot Brown had the watch below, and was probably asleep and never knew what killed him; but Ealer escaped unhurt.

Is Shakespeare Dead? 1909

Now and then when Ealer had to stop to cough, I pulled my induction-talents together and hove the controversial lead myself: always getting eight feet, eight-and-a-half, often nine, sometimes even quarter-less-twain -- as I believed; but always "no bottom," as he said.

Is Shakespeare Dead? 1909

Ealer always had several high-class books in the pilot-house, and he read the same ones over and over again, and did not care to change to newer and fresher ones.

Is Shakespeare Dead? 1909

Ealer did a lot of our "reasoning" -- not to say substantially all of it.

Is Shakespeare Dead? 1909

Ealer would not be convinced; he said a man could learn how to correctly handle the subtleties and mysteries and free-masonries of any trade by careful reading and studying.

Is Shakespeare Dead? 1909

Ealer was satisfied with that, and the war broke loose.

Is Shakespeare Dead? 1909

Just then the night watchman happened in, and was about to happen out again, when he noticed Ealer and exclaimed --

Life on the Mississippi Mark Twain 1872

When Ealer observed this marvel of steering, he wished he had not confessed!

Life on the Mississippi Mark Twain 1872