judgment, but whatever of example and inspiration he may impart to the
reader will be that of a true and noble boy, with no vices to disfigure
his character, and no low aims to lead him from "the straight and
narrow path" of duty.

The author has a copy of his first book before him as he writes. On the
title-page is this line: "A Tale of the Mississippi and the
South-West." The preface, dated 1852, contains this passage: "In the
summer of 1848, the author of the following tale was a passenger on
board of a steamboat from New Orleans to Cincinnati. During the
passage--one of the most prolonged and uncomfortable in the annals of
western river navigation--the plot of this story was arranged. Many of
its incidents, and all of its descriptions of steamboat life will be
recognized by the voyager on the Mississippi." Since that time the
author has travelled on the upper waters of the great river.

His last book, by a coincidence at the present time, also relates to
the Mississippi. Nearly a generation has passed away between the first
and the last; and the latter is the writer's seventy-fifth book. The
author has endeavored to make his works correct in facts and
descriptions, as well as in moral tendency; and in the preparation of
them he has travelled over fifty thousand miles by sea and land.

To his young friends,--some of the earlier of whom are now middle-aged
men and women, with boys and girls of their own, reading the same books
their fathers and mothers read a quarter of a century ago,--to his
young friends the author again returns his sincere and hearty thanks
for the favor they have bestowed upon his numerous volumes.

DORCHESTER, MASS.,
June 1, 1881.

CONTENTS.

PAGE
CHAPTER I.
IN CAPTAIN BOOMSBY'S SALOON 11

CHAPTER II.
FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS 23

CHAPTER III.
ADIEU TO THE BOOMSBYS 34

CHAPTER IV.
NICK BOOMSBY HAS ASPIRATIONS 47

CHAPTER V.
THE STRANGE MOVEMENT OF THE ISLANDER 59

CHAPTER VI.
A LIVELY CHASE 71

CHAPTER VII.
A FOG OFF THE FLORIDA COAST 81

CHAPTER VIII.
A PORT IN A STORM 93

CHAPTER IX.
A VISIT FROM AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE 104