ed captain by courtesy, sat down
and shook his head gravely, while he removed his hat and wiped the
perspiration from his bald forehead.

"It's a bad business to run agin the wishes of one's parents," he said;
"it seldom turns out well; couldn't you come round him nohow?"

"Impossible. He won't listen to reason."

"Ah, then, it's of no manner of use," said the captain, with a pitying
sigh, "when a man won't listen to reason, what's the consequence? why
he's unreasonable, which means bein' destitoot of that which raises him
above the brutes that perish. Such bein' the case, give it up for a bad
job, that's my advice. Come, I'll have a bottle o' ginger-beer, not
bein' given to strong drink, an' we'll talk over this matter."

Accordingly the beer was ordered, and the three sat there talking for a
couple of hours in reference to a long, long voyage to the southern
seas.

After that they rose, and, leaving the Red Lion, went down to the pier,
where a boat was in waiting. It conveyed them to a large ship, whose
sails were hanging in the loose condition peculiar to a vessel ready to
set sail. An hour after that the anchor was raised, and wind and tide
carried the ship gently down to the sea. There seemed to Will something
very solemn and mysterious in the quiet way in which, during these still
and dark hours of the night, the great ship was slowly moved towards her
ocean cradle. At length she floated on the sea, and, soon after, the
moon arose on the distant horizon, streaming across the rippling surface
as if to kiss and welcome an old friend. The wind increased; the ship
became submissive to the breeze, obedient to the helm, and ere long
moved on the waters like "a thing of life," leaving Old England far
behind her.

It was then that young Osten, leaning over the taffrail and looking
wistfully back at the point where he had seen the last glimpse of the
chalk cliffs, began to experience the first feelings of regret. He
tried to quiet his conscience by recalling the harsh and unjustifiable
conduct of his father, but conscience would not be quieted thus, and
faithful memory reminded him of the many acts of kindness he had
experienced at his father's hands, while she pointed to his gentle
mother, and bade him reflect what a tremendous blow this sudden
departure would be to her.

Starting up and shaking off such thoughts, sternly he went below and
threw himself into his narrow cot, where conscience assailed him s