lan in his mind, she
proposed that he should try a voyage on Lake Erie.

This suggestion fell in with his wishes, and, once more taking his
bundle in his hand, he set out to seek his fortune. On foot he
journeyed to Cleveland, a distance of seventeen miles, and went on
board the first vessel he saw. There he inquired for the captain of
the schooner, whom he expected to be a gentleman. To his disgust, the
man who appeared was a drunken, swearing fellow, who, with a volley of
oaths, threatened to throw him into the dock if he did not at once
leave the vessel.

No pleasant dream was ever more rudely dispelled than were James
Garfield's bright visions of the charm of a seafaring life. No such
wretch as the captain he had just met with had been described in any of
the books he had read, and he began to think that there must be a
mistake somewhere. At any rate, he had no present intention of giving
up the idea of being a sailor. While walking along the side of the
docks, he met his cousin, Amos Fletcher, who was the captain of a canal
boat, and to whom he related his recent experience.

Amos offered him the post of driver, and James engaged to go with his
cousin to Pittsburg in that capacity. His work was to take turns with
another driver, and, for a certain number of hours, when his turn came,
to drive the two mules which drew the boat along the canal.

The boatmen were profane, coarse, vulgar whisky-drinkers, "who regarded
rum and tobacco as among the chief necessaries of life." A greater
contrast there could not have been than that which existed between
James and the men among whom his lot was cast.

The work required some experience, and the very first day the new
driver and his mules were thrown into the canal, while trying to pass
another boat. At once the other men ran to his assistance, and, when
James and his mules were placed safely on the towing-path, he had to
stand a considerable amount of good-humoured chaffing.

Amos had been engaged in teaching before he became the captain of a
canal boat, and when he found how much James knew, he spoke very
seriously to him about his future prospects. His cousin told him that
with a little more education he would be well qualified to take charge
of a school, and strongly advised him to adopt this course. James now
remembered that not only his mother and sister, but every one to whom
he had spoken, had told him he was throwing himself away in seeking to
be a