s! what a stir it
would make if the boys only knew what I was about to do with myself?"

I was welcomed by the boys, who seemed glad to see me once more among
them. The reason of this was, that of late I had been kept almost
constantly at work, and found but few occasions when I could join them
at play, and I believe I had formerly been a play favourite with most of
them.

But I remained among them only during the time in which the fleet made
one voyage across the lake--a miniature regatta, in which my own sloop
was conqueror--and taking the little vessel under my arm, I bade them
good-day, and left them.

They wondered at my going away so abruptly, but I found some excuse that
satisfied them.

As I crossed the park wall, I glanced back upon the companions of my
childhood, and the tears ran down my cheeks as I turned away from them
for ever.

I crouched along the wall, and soon got into the high road that led from
our village to the seaport town. I did not remain upon the road, but
crossed it, and took into the fields on the opposite side. My object in
doing this was to get under cover of some woods that ran for a good
distance nearly parallel to the direction of the road. Through these I
intended to travel, as far as they would screen me from observation; for
I knew that if I kept on the road I should run the chance of being
passed or met by some of the villagers, who would report having seen me,
and thus guide the pursuit in the right direction. I could not guess at
what hour the ship might weigh anchor, and therefore I could not make my
time for absenting myself from the village. This had been the thought
that troubled me all the morning. I feared to arrive too soon, lest the
vessel might not sail until I should be missed, and people sent after
me. On the other hand, I dreaded lest I might reach the port too late,
and find the ship gone. This would have been a disappointment worse
than to be taken back, and whipped for the attempt at running away--at
least, so I should have considered it at the time. I say, then, that
this was the thought that had annoyed me all the morning, and still
continued to do so; for it no longer occurred to me that there was any
danger of my being refused once I offered myself on the ship. I had
even forgotten that I was so small a boy. The magnitude of my designs
had magnified me, in my own estimation, to the dimensions of a man.

I reached the woods, and traversed them f