in purchasing a full-rigged
sloop, from an old fisherman, who had "built" her during his hours of
leisure. She was only six inches in length of keel, by less than three
in breadth of beam, and her tonnage, if registered--which it never was--
would have been about half a pound avoirdupois. A small craft you will
style her; but at that time, in my eyes, she was as grand as a
three-decker.

I esteemed her too large for the duck-pond, and resolved to go in search
of a piece of water where she should have more room to exhibit her
sailing qualities.

This I soon found in the shape of a very large pond--or lake, I should
rather call it--where the water was clear as crystal, and where there
was usually a nice light breeze playing over the surface--just strong
enough to fill the sails, and drive my little sloop along like a bird on
the wing--so that she often crossed the pond before I myself could get
round to the other side to receive her into my hands again.

Many a race have I had with my little sloop, in which sometimes she, and
sometimes I, proved victorious, according as the wind was favourable or
unfavourable to her course.

Now this pretty pond--by the shores of which I used to delight myself,
and where I spent many of the happiest hours of my boyhood--was not
public property. It was situated in a gentleman's park, that extended
backward from the end of the village, and the pond of course belonged to
the owner of the park. He was a kind and liberal gentleman, however,
and permitted the villagers to go through his grounds whenever they
pleased, and did not object to the boys sailing their boats upon the
ornamental water, or even playing cricket in one of his fields, provided
they did not act rudely or destroy any of the shrubs or plants that grew
along the walks. It was very kind and good of him to allow this
freedom; and we, the boys of the village, were sensible of this, and I
think on the whole we behaved as if we were so; for I never heard of any
damage being done that was deemed worthy of complaint. The park and
pond are there still--you all know them?--but the kind gentleman I speak
of has long since left this world; for he was an _old_ gentleman, then,
and that is sixty years ago.

Upon the little lake, there was at that time a flock of swans--six, if I
remember aright--besides other water-fowl of rare kinds. The boys took
great delight in feeding these pretty creatures; and it was a common
thing for o