ng, one day, for some mischief he had done;
and, as he had often felt before that his lashes were not light,
he ran off, went on board a ship as a cabin-boy, learned to
handle sails and ropes, and, after five or six voyages, was made
mate of a ship; and now he is a captain. I have been thinking
about it ever since. Now, if I could get a place in a ship, I
would go in a minute. I am sure travelling over the world must
be pleasanter than spending a life in one place; and pulling a
rope is easier work than pushing a plane."

Rodney sprang up from his reclining posture, looked straight in
his companion's face for a moment, and exclaimed, "That would be
glorious! How I should like to go to London, to Canton, to
Holland, where the old folks came from,--to travel all over the
world! But,"--and he leaned back against the tree again as he
spoke,--"but it is of no use to think about it; mother would not
consent, and nobody would help me; no ship would take me. I
suppose I must pull away at the leather all my life." He spoke
bitterly, and leaned his face upon his hands; and, between his
fingers, the tears were seen slowly trickling. In truth, he had
no taste or inclination for the trade to which he was forced. If
the bias of his own mind had been consulted, he might have been
contented in some employment adapted to his nature.

"Bah, Rodney, don't be a baby!" was the jeering expostulation
of Will Manton, when he saw the tears; "crying never got a
fellow out of a scrape. I believe it is easy enough done. If we
could only get off to New York, they say that boys are so much
wanted on ships, that the captains take them without asking many
questions."

"Do you think so?"

"Don't you think it is worth a trial?"

"But I should have to leave my mother, and grandmother, and
sister, and all."

"Of course; you would not want to take them with you, would
you?"

"But I could not tell them I was going. I should have to steal
away without their knowledge."

"You could write to them when you started."

"I might never see them again."

"You are as likely to live and come back as Captain Ryan was."

"But they would feel so much hurt, if I should run away."

Will Manton curled his lip into a sneer, and said, scornfully,
"Why, Rodney, I didn't think you was so much of a baby. You are
a more faint-hearted chicken than I thought you."

"Well, Will, the thought of it frightens me. I have a good
mother and a good grandmother; and, tho