thing of the kind, for we've had calms nearly every other day,
and sometimes, when the wind did blow, it came from the wrong
direction, and it's my belief that the ship sailed backward."

"That was very bad management," said the Captain. "The chief mate
should have seen to it that the sails were turned in such a manner
that the ship could not go backward. If that sort of thing happened
often, it would become quite a serious affair."

"But what is done can't be helped," said the boatswain, "and I don't
see how you are going to get into port before Christmas."

"Nor do I," said the Captain, gazing out over the sea.

"It would give me a sad turn, sir," said Baragat, "to see you spend
Christmas at sea; a thing you never did before, nor ever shall do, if
I can help it. If you'll take my advice, sir, you'll turn around, and
go back. It's a shorter distance to the port we started from than to
the one we are going to, and if we turn back now, I am sure we all
shall be on shore before the holidays."

"Go back to my son's house!" exclaimed Captain Covajos, "where I was
last winter! Why, that would be like spending last Christmas over
again!"

"But that would be better than having none at all, sir," said the
boatswain, "and a Christmas at sea would be about equal to none."

"Good!" exclaimed the Captain. "I will give up the coming Christmas
with my daughter and her children, and go back and spend last
Christmas over again with my son and his dear boys and girls. Have
the ship turned around immediately, Baragat, and tell the chief mate
I do not wish to sail backward if it can possibly be avoided."

For a week or more the "Horn o' Plenty" sailed back upon her track
towards the city where dwelt the Captain's son. The weather was fine,
the carpet was never taken up from the quarter-deck, and every thing
was going on very well, when a man, who happened to have an errand at
one of the topmasts, came down, and reported that, far away to the
north, he had seen a little open boat with some people in it.

"Ah me!" said Captain Covajos, "it must be some poor fellows who are
shipwrecked. It will take us out of our course, but we must not leave
them to their fate. Have the ship turned about, so that it will sail
northward."

It was not very long before they came up with the boat; and, much to
the Captain's surprise, he saw that it was filled with boys.

"Who are you?" he cried as soon as he was near enough. "And where do
you come