f success, which was very
fascinating. Nevertheless, I could not but remember that the proposed
voyage would take us into latitudes subject to the most frightful and
sudden tempests, and I could not help thinking (as I pointed out to Bob)
that our cockle-shell would stand but a poor chance in a cyclone or a
black squall.

"Look here, Harry, my boy," remarked Bob gravely, "as I propose to ship
on this here v'y'ge as chief-mate, I ain't likely to forget that there's
such dangers as them you've just mentioned; But suppose you was to cork
up a bottle, or clap the lid on an empty biscuit-tin, and heave 'em
overboard, do you think they'd live through one or t'other? In course
they would, because salt water can't get inside of 'em, and as long as
they keep dry holds they'll float, let the weather be what it will, and
so 'll our craft, for the same reason. And when the weather's too bad
to sail the barkie, we can heave her to, and when it's too bad for that
we can _anchor_ her, my boy, go below, slide on the top of the
companion, and turn in until the weather clears."

"But," said I, "we cannot anchor in the middle of the Atlantic. Suppose
we should be caught in a cyclone there, for instance?"

"We _can_ anchor _there_, lad, with a _floating_ anchor, which will keep
her head to wind; and with everything snug aloft and on deck, and a
floating-anchor ahead with about sixty fathoms of cable veered out, she
would ride out _in safety_ any gale that ever blew out of the heavens."

This last remark closed the case, and secured a verdict for the
defendant. I _knew_ that every word Bob spoke was literally true, and
the audacity of the enterprise so fascinated me that I resolved on the
spot to undertake it, if it should be found, on going into details, that
a craft, capable of being handled by our two selves, could stow away,
without being overloaded, such provisions; etcetera, as we should need
for the voyage.

The following morning, immediately after breakfast, I got out my drawing
board, strained a sheet of paper upon it, and, with Bob at my side to
give me the benefit of his opinion upon every line I traced upon the
paper, set to in earnest to design the little craft in which we proposed
to embark on our adventurous voyage.

Before putting a line upon paper, however, we settled the plan of her
internal arrangements. It was our intention to make her lines as fine
as her respective dimensions would permit; she was to be, in