ribe them as vast tanks,
which are full of fine ships, each of many hundred tons. The names of
the ships were painted in large letters on black boards and hung up on
the rigging, so that we had no necessity to make inquiries for the ship
Mr Ward wished to find.

"We had not much to do with vessels," he observed. "We took freight,
and shipped our cargoes, and received them in return without any
communication with the master or his officers, so that I do not know
many sea-going people. However, I have, fortunately, a cousin, who is
second mate of a ship--the _Orion_--just sailing for the Cape of Good
Hope and the Mauritius. My friends, Minnories, the brokers, have given
me a letter to the master, and if we can arrange matters with him, you
will, I hope, from what I hear, find him a pleasant man to sail with.
At all events, I know that my cousin, William Henley, is a very fine
young fellow, and will prove a good friend to you. If I am not too
presumptuous, Mr Ralph, I might say, also, a worthy companion, though
his birth was not much less humble than was mine."

"My father would not have allowed such a consideration to weigh with us
in the choice of our companions, I assure you, Mr Ward," I answered,
promptly; for well did I remember hearing him remark, that he would far
rather his sons chose their friends from among right-principled, steady,
industrious lads, than from among the most wealthy or high-born in the
land.

"That was like him, Mr Ralph--that was like him," said the old man,
warmly. "Now, here we are at the _Orion_. She is a fine-looking ship
for her size--some four or five hundred tons, I should guess. Ah, there
is William Henley himself!"

As he spoke, a dark man with a large black beard and whiskers looked
over the bulwarks, and seeing Mr Ward, came along the plank which
connected the ship with the quay towards us. He shook hands warmly with
Mr Ward, who took him aside, while I stood patting Solon's head and
admiring the appearance of the ship--the neat way in which she was
rigged and painted, and the massive masts and yards to which the white
sails had just been bent. I seldom had had an opportunity of examining
so large a ship ready for sea so near, and I thought her, as she truly
was, a very handsome production of human art.

"And so you wish to go to sea with us," said the mate, when he and Mr
Ward rejoined me. I liked his tone of voice, and I saw that he was a
much younger man than his d