ey were; and but for the
schoolmaster's rod and the teaching of their pious mothers, might have
been as ignorant as oysters and merciless as the sharks. Master Penrose
had whipped into most of them the elements of a plain English education,
and gentle mothers had power to soften and rule these rough boys, when
perhaps a stronger hand would have failed.

Master Penrose always gave a full holiday on Saturday. Then the wharves
were sure to swarm with the mischievous little chaps, all eager to carry
out some favorite plan for amusement, in which old Ocean was sure to be
engaged as a play-fellow. Poor indeed was the lad who had not a
fish-hook and line with which to try his skill. The very youngest had
his tiny boat to be launched, while his elders were planning
sailing-parties, or jumping and leaping in the water like so many
dolphins.

Boys like to have a leader, some one they look up to as superior to the
rest, and capable of deciding knotty questions, and "going ahead" in all
times of doubt and difficulty. Blair Robertson occupied this position
among the youngsters of Fairport. He had lawfully won this place among
his fellows and "achieved greatness," by being the best scholar at the
academy, as well as the boldest swimmer, most skilful fisherman, and
most experienced sailor among all the boys for miles along the coast. It
was Blair Robertson's boast that he belonged to the nineteenth century,
and grew old with it. It was doubtful whether the bold lad considered
this age of progress as honored by his playing his part in its drama, or
whether he claimed a reflected glory, as having been born at the very
dawn of that century which promised so much for the thronging millions
of our world.

Be that as it may, Joe Robertson the pilot and Margaret his wife
rejoiced, in the year 1800, over their first and only child. Thirteen
years had swept by, and the honest couple were now as proud of that
brave, strong boy as they had been of their baby, and with better
reason.

Troublous times had come upon their native land. War had been declared
with England. All Fairport was ablaze at the idea of American seamen
being forced to serve on English ships, and of decks whose timber grew
in the free forests of Maine or North Carolina, being trodden by the
unscrupulous feet of British officers with insolent search-warrants in
their hands.

Blair Robertson had his own views on these subjects--views which we find
him giving forth to his d