a carpenter, don't you?"

"I am young," Reuben replied, smiling, "and this is my first
voyage. Fortunately for me, the hand who was engaged hurt himself,
just as the vessel was sailing, so I obtained the berth. So far it
does not appear that it is a difficult one."

The girl looked at him a little curiously. His manner of talk and
conversation differed, so much, from the sailors in general.

"Are you really a carpenter?" she asked. "You don't look like a
carpenter."

"Yes, I am really a carpenter," Reuben answered; "at least, I am a
mill wright by trade. We are a sort of half and half between
carpenter and smith.

"Is there anything else?" he asked, as he finished screwing the
last screw.

"No, nothing else, thank you," the girl answered. "That will do
very nicely, and I am much obliged to you."

After finishing his work in the cabins, Reuben went forward.

"Captain," the young lady said, as she went upon deck, "I have been
talking to that young carpenter of yours. I am quite interested in
him. Is he really a carpenter? He does not talk a bit like one."

"I believe so, Miss Hudson," the captain replied. "At least, he
produced an excellent testimonial from his last employer, when I
engaged him. Of course, it might not have been genuine. If there
had been time, I should have made more inquiries; but he was well
spoken, and had an earnest look about him. But, now you mention it,
I don't know that it is very wise letting him go into all the
cabins, when I know so little about him."

"Oh, I never thought of that!" the girl exclaimed. "I am sure he
looks honest. It was only because he spoke so well that I mentioned
it."

"He seems to be a sharp young fellow," the captain remarked, "and I
see that he has taken to going aloft with the rest of the crew
already. He is an emigrant rather than a sailor, for he has only
shipped for a passage. I don't know whether he is going to join a
man, out there; but if not, he is certainly young to go out on his
own account. I do not think he's more than eighteen. He looks so
young, he cannot have served all his time at his trade."

"I really feel quite interested in him, Captain Wilson," the girl
said, turning to a gentleman standing by, who had been listening to
the conversation. "I wish, if you get an opportunity, you would get
into conversation with this carpenter of ours, and find out
something about him."

"I will, if you like, Miss Hudson; but I don't suppose there's mu