and unsuccessful. I told Hansen the result of my day's labor. He looked
disappointed and angry.

"You did not try!" said he. "I don't believe you said one word for
yourself. There is one more shilling gone for nothing. But you must
pretty quick find something to do."

The next day, when I returned home after my daily jaunt around the
wharves in search of employment, Hansen met me with a smile, and
introduced me to Stephen Schmidt, a thickset Dutchman, with little gray
eyes, and capacious cheeks, of a color which proved he was a dear lover
of schnapps. Schmidt claimed to be a native of Hudson; his ancestors
were Dutch, and Dutch was the sole language of his early days. He had
been several years employed in the North River sloops, but for the
last six months had been in a coaster. Wearied of this kind of life
and afraid of impressment, as his English pronunciation was strongly
tinctured with the gutturals of a genuine Knickerbocker, and British
ships-of-war swarmed along our coast, he had made up his mind to return
to his home on the banks of the Hudson, and try his hand at cultivating
cabbages and manufacturing SAUER KRAUT! A man was wanted in his place
on board the coasting vessel and Hansen had persuaded Schmidt to use his
influence with the captain to procure me the enviable situation.

I cared not a rush what kind of vessel this coaster was, whether old or
new, bound on a cruise to New Orleans or Baffin's Bay; nor did I care
whether the captain was a gentleman or a clown; a worthy man or an
ignorant bully. I was anxious to obtain the vacant situation, and feared
that the captain, following the fashion of the Long Island farmers,
would not like the cut of my jib. I learned, however, that the schooner
was a comfortable vessel, about a hundred tons burden, called the Mary,
belonging to Newbern in North Carolina. The name of the captain was
Thompson. The schooner was taking in cargo for Newbern, and would soon
be ready for sea. Towards evening I accompanied Schmidt to the wharf
where the Mary lay, and went on board, my bosom agitated with hopes and
fears. The captain was on deck, a sturdy, rough-looking man. Schmidt
went boldly up to him. "Captain Thompson," said he, "this is the man I
spoke to you about this morning to take my place."

"This the man?" said the captain, abruptly. "Why, this is a boy! He's
lame, too, and looks sickly. He will never do for me!"

It was time for me to speak; and I made a bold effort to