BAR PILOT

A novel of New Orleans just before and during the Civil War is written by the author of Joe Panther and Swamp Chief, two stories of the Seminole Indians, and accomplishes its themes of hard work and freedom with manly if trite, straightforwardness. The story is young Jim Yordy's as he comes south from Pittsburgh, orphaned, to seek his grandfather, tough, exacting Grat Yordy who runs a pilot ship to guide others through the treacherous currents of the delta channels between New Orleans and the sea. For Jim the ebb and flow of river mouth life bring discouragement and encouragement as Grat demands the best from him. But the work never ceases to be stimulating and when war comes, Jim, Grat and the pilots loyal to the Union cause, play their important role in Farragut's blockade. A wave of adventure.