And now you see my wish was gratified. I was in a ship and off on the
'world of waters,' with the career of a sailor before me,--a career to
my imagination when on the farm full of romance, and presenting
everything that was desirable in life. But was it so in reality when I
was brought face to face with it,--when I had exchanged the farm for the
forecastle? By no means. Indeed, I was filled with nothing but disgust
first, and terror afterwards. The first sight which I had of the ocean
was much less satisfactory to me than would have been my father's
duck-pond. I soon got miserably sick; night came on, dark and fearful;
the winds rose; the waves dashed with great force against the ship's
sides, often breaking over the deck, and wetting me to the skin. I was
shivering with cold; I was afraid that I should be washed overboard; I
was afraid that I should be killed by something tumbling on me from
aloft, for there was such a great rattling up there in the darkness that
I thought everything was broken loose. I could not stand on the deck
without support, and was knocked about when I attempted to move; every
time the ship went down into the trough of a sea I thought all my
insides were coming up. So, altogether, you see I was in a very bad way.
How, indeed, should it be otherwise? for can you imagine any ills so
great as these?

1st, To have all your clothes wet;
2d, To have a sick stomach; and,
3d, To be in a dreadful fright.

"Now that was precisely my condition; and I was already reaping the
fruits of my folly in running away from home and exchanging a farm for a
forecastle."

* * * * *

The Captain here paused and laughed heartily at the picture he had drawn
of himself in his ridiculous _role_ of "the young sailor-boy," and,
after clearing his throat again, was about to proceed with the story,
when he perceived that the shades of evening had already begun to fall
upon the arbor. Looking out among the trees, he saw the leaves and
branches standing sharply out against the golden sky, which showed him
that the day was ended and the sun was set. So he told his little
friends to hasten home before the dews began to fall upon the grass, and
come again next day. This they promised thankfully, and told the Captain
that they "never, never, never would forget it."

But the head of William was filled with a bright idea, and he was bound
to discharge it before he left the pla