ut that ain't the
grand attraction. The grand attraction centres in a rock that's said
to be the eastest place in the neighborin republic,--in short, as they
call it, the 'jumpin-off place.' You'd better go an see it; ony you
needn't jump off, unless you like."

Sailing up the harbor, the fog grew light enough for them to see the
shore. The town lay in rather an imposing situation, on the side of a
hill, which was crowned by a fort. A large number of vessels lay about
at the wharves and at anchor. Here they went ashore in a boat, but on
making inquiries could gain no information about Tom; nor could they
learn anything which gave them the slightest encouragement.

"We've got to wait here a while so as to devarsefy the time. Suppose we
go an jump off?" said the captain.

The boys assented to this in a melancholy manner, and the captain led
the way through the town, till at last he halted at the extreme east
end.

"Here," said he, "you behold the last extremity of a great an mighty
nation, that spreads from the Atlantic to the Pacific, an from the Gulf
of Mexiky to the very identical spot that you air now a occypyin of.
It air a celebrated spot, an this here air a memorable momient in your
youthful lives, if you did but know it!"

There was nothing very striking about this place, except the fact which
Captain Corbet had stated. Its appearance was not very imposing, yet,
on the other hand, it was not without a certain wild beauty. Before
them spread the waters of the bay, with islands half concealed in mist;
while immediately in front, a steep, rocky bank went sheer down for
some thirty or forty feet to the beach below.

"I suppose," said the captain, "that bein Pilgrims, it air our dooty to
jump; but as it looks a leetle rocky down thar, I think we'd best defer
that to another opportoonity."

Returning to the schooner, they weighed anchor, set sail, and left the
harbor. On leaving it, they did not go back the way they had come, but
passed through a narrow and very picturesque channel, which led them by
a much shorter route into the bay. On their left were wooded hills,
and on their right a little village on the slope of a hill, upon whose
crest stood a church.

Outside the fog lay as thick as ever, and into this they plunged. Soon
the monotonous gray veil of mist closed all around them. But now their
progress was more satisfactory, for they were crossing the bay, and the
wind was abeam.

"Are you goi