ed with delight, we could hardly believe our senses.
After so many years' absence, and such hardships and dangers as we had
passed through, New York seemed like another world. So accustomed had we
been to exposure that we could hardly sleep in-doors. The confined air
of the house greatly troubled us. Everything we saw seemed new, and we
were in a constant state of wonder. We did not, however, forget the
obligation we owed to our Heavenly Father for our deliverance; and we
lost no time in going to a church, and there, in secret, we poured out
our hearts to Him who rules the winds and the waves, and never forgets
any of the creatures he has made.

"'And now,' said the Dean, 'I am going to further show my gratitude by
making my mother comfortable for the rest of her days,'--which he did by
getting her into a better house, where she did not have to work any
more,--the Dean declaring that he would hereafter make all the money
that was necessary for her support; and he kept his word, too.

"As for the money the Dean had when we came home, that was soon all
gone, and mine too, for that matter, since I helped the Dean, of course.
Then we looked about us for a good ship to go to sea in, as we felt that
we should make better sailors now than anything else; indeed, neither of
us knew what else to do.

"The story of our remarkable adventures getting abroad, we found many
friends, so you may be sure, when we shipped again, it was not in such a
crazy old hulk as the _Blackbird_, nor did we go any more whale or seal
fishing, having got enough of that to last us during the remainder of
our lives. Still, I have been back to the Arctic regions once since
then; but it was not with a red-faced mate to torment me.

"I did not feel like coming up to Rockdale yet, being very much ashamed,
not having made anything, as I could see, by running away. Besides, I
learned that my father had given me up for dead long ago, and had moved
with all my brothers and sisters to Ohio, where I wrote to him, telling
all about my voyage and shipwreck,--the best I could, that is; for,
having neglected my studies when at school, I could not write very well.

"So now I came to be a regular sailor, going away first with the Dean on
a voyage to the Mediterranean in a fine bark, where we got moderately
good wages, and, being both rather ambitious, we grew in favor and saved
our money. When we returned, I proposed to the Dean that we should make
a common stock of