oduced
to the son. Then the ship-owner told him how much he had admired his
seamanship, and asked if he would care to sail as master's apprentice in
a new vessel he owned, which was fitting out for a voyage to Virginia
and the West Indies. The boy's eyes danced with delight; he begged his
father to let him go, and finally Mr. Paul consented. The
twelve-year-old boy had won his wish to go to sea.

A few days later the brig _Friendship_ sailed from Whitehaven, with
small John Paul on board, and after a slow voyage which lasted
thirty-two days dropped anchor in the Rappahannock River of Virginia.

The life of a colonial trader was very pleasant in 1760. The
sailing-vessels usually made a triangular voyage, taking some six months
to go from England to the colonies, then to the West Indies, and so east
again. About three of the six months were spent at the small settlements
on shore, discharging goods from England, taking on board cotton and
tobacco, and bartering with the merchants.

The Virginians, who lived on their great plantations with many servants,
were the most hospitable people in the world, always eager to entertain
a stranger, and the English sailors were given the freedom of the shore.
The _Friendship_ anchored a short distance down the river from where
John Paul's older brother lived, and the boy immediately went to see him
and stayed as his guest for some time.

This brother William had been adopted by a wealthy planter named Jones,
and the latter was delighted with the young John Paul, and tried to get
him to leave the sailor's life and settle on the Rappahannock. But much
as John liked the easy life of the plantation, the fine riding horses,
the wide fields and splendid rivers, the call of the sea was dearer to
him, and when the _Friendship_ dropped down the Rappahannock bound for
Tobago and the Barbadoes he was on board of her.

Those were adventurous days for sailors and merchants. Money was to be
made in many ways, and consciences were not overcareful as to the ways.
The prosperous traders of Virginia did not mind taking an interest in
some ocean rover bound on pirate's business, or in the more lawful
slave-trade with the west coast of Africa. For a time, however, young
John Paul sailed for Mr. Younger, and was finally paid by being given a
one-sixth interest in a ship called _King George's Packet_.

The boy was now first mate, and trade with England being dull, he and
the captain decided to try the