“He says, marm, that he knew that captain; that he was a cruel man to sailors, abused and starved them (that I know to be true); that it was thought he had murdered men. Are you going again, Mr. Brown?”
“Yes, Edward. Captain Rhines and his folks are building me a vessel; I expect the keel is laid by this time.”
“Can I go with you, sir?”
“Yes, if your parents are willing.”
“They are willing I should go with you, sir.”
“It will be some months before the vessel is ready; now, you better go to school, and get all the learning you can.”
“Yes, sir; shall I study navigation?”
“No; I’ll teach you that on board ship. Study arithmetic and book-keeping, learn to keep accounts and write a business hand, and study trigonometry and geography. If we live to get to sea in the ship, we won’t starve, or abuse anybody, nor pass any wrecks, and try not to have the vessel cursed. We know what it is, my boy, to starve, and to be helped in distress, and will do as we have been done by.”
“Mr. Brown, don’t you think the folks at Pleasant Cove and round there are the best folks that could be?”
“Yes, Ned.”