quite apart from the strong
impression they made upon me at the time, as but for what occurred I
should have nothing of any importance to tell with reference to my
subsequent adventures when alone on the Atlantic.

However, to make a long story short, I may briefly state that, after a
pretty long interval of lying still, Doctor Martin said one day that I
might get up and move about; when the change from inaction to action had
such an improving effect on me that, within a very short space, I was
myself again--although, perhaps, a much paler and thinner sort of Tom
Eastman than "the young rascal," as the doctor persisted in naming me,
"who tried to break his neck by galloping down Constitution Hill, but
couldn't because it was so tough!"

All this while, dad had said nothing to me either about selling the
estate or of my going home to school; but one morning when I was able
again to mount on the back of poor Prince, who had grown quite fat
during his long stay in the stable, he told me that I might accompany
him, if I liked, to Grenville Bay, on the other side of the island. Dad
said that there was a large merchant vessel lying off there, loading
sugar from one of the plantations, and he wished to consult the captain
about sending home some bags of cocoa in her. He added, that we would
probably have to go off to her in a boat.

This was about a week after the doctor had released me from my hammock-
prison; so, as I had not as yet had a canter on Prince since my unlucky
escapade, it may be imagined with what delight I prepared for the
excursion, as, independently of the pleasure of a long country ride with
dad, who was one of the jolliest companions anybody could be out with, I
had never been on board a real ship before. I had frequently observed
vessels at a distance from the shore, when anchored in the Carenage, as
the harbour of Saint George is called, or else sailing round the coast
inwards or outwards bound, but had never inspected one closely.

"Golly, Mass' Tom, dis sight am good for sore eyes!" cried Jake,
laughing from ear to ear with joy at seeing me well again. "Me nebber
fought you ebber lift leg ober Prince again!"

"Oh, I'm all right," I said gleefully, jumping into the saddle in my old
style, the pony going off instanter at a canter in his customary way.

"Take care, Tom, take care!" cried my mother after me anxiously; so, to
ease her alarm at my venturing too much for one who had so recently been