very serious or dangerous accidents, but the more common accidents
that you meet with, the more you will have to amuse and entertain you.
If it were only winter now, there would be a prospect that you might
be blocked up in a snow storm."

"Hoh!" said Phonny, "that would be a dreadful thing."

"No," replied Beechnut, "not dreadful at all. For people who are on
business, and who are in haste to get to the end of their journey, it
is bad to meet with accidents and delays; but for boys, and for people
who are traveling for pleasure, the more adventures they meet with the
better."

"Accidents are not adventures," said Phonny.

"They lead to adventures," replied Beechnut.

"But now for my directions," said Stuyvesant.

"Well, as for your directions," replied Beechnut, "I can either go
over the whole ground with you, and tell you what to do in each
particular case,--or I can give you one universal rule, which will
guide you in traveling in all cases, wherever you go. Which would you
prefer?"

"I should prefer the rule," said Stuyvesant, "if that will be enough
to guide me."

"Yes," said Beechnut, "it is enough to guide you, not only from here
to New York, but all over the civilized world."

"What is the rule?" asked Stuyvesant.

"I shall write it down for you," replied Beechnut, "and you can read
it in the stage, to-morrow morning, or in the cars."

"Well," said Stuyvesant,--"if you are sure that it will be enough for
me."

"Yes," replied Beechnut, "I am sure it will be enough. It is the rule
that I always travel by, and I find it will carry me safely anywhere.
It is an excellent rule for ladies, who are traveling alone. If they
would only trust themselves to it, it would be all the guidance that
they would need."

"Well," said Stuyvesant, "I will decide to take the rule."

Shortly after this, Beechnut and the children all went into the house,
and Stuyvesant and Phonny went to bed. Stuyvesant was so much excited,
however, at the thoughts of his journey, that it was a long time
before he could get to sleep.

He woke at the earliest dawn. He rose and dressed himself, and took
his breakfast at six o'clock. At seven the stage came for him.
Beechnut carried his trunk out to the stage, and the driver strapped
it on in its place, behind. Mrs. Henry and Malleville stood at the
door to see. Stuyvesant went first to the kitchen, to bid Dorothy
good-by, and then came out through the front door, and bade Mrs. Henry
a