“I’m glad it broke now, and not when I was off in the bay,” said he, to hide his mortification, and resolved next time he undertook to show off to look well to his thole-pins. He didn’t sleep much that night. I’ll let John know, thought he, as he lay in bed anticipating the morrow, that I can do something besides make baskets; he didn’t seem to think much of that. He thought I had a great deal to learn, but I’ll let him know I’ve learned something already. The next morning was fair, and he was off by sunrise. When he came to the other side, John received him with great pleasure; and as they were just at breakfast, Captain Rhines insisted on having Charlie sit up with them, saying that a boy who was growing could eat any time, especially when he had pulled six miles.
“Did you come in Ben’s big canoe?”
“No, sir; the oars are so large I can hardly lift them.”
“So I thought; but what did you come in?”
“My own canoe, sir.”
“Has Ben made you a canoe so quick?”
“No, sir; I made it myself; but he showed me.”
“Whew! Who cut the tree down?”
“What do you think of that, John?”