While Charlie was thus pleasantly and profitably occupied in boat-building, a cousin of Captain Rhines, Mr. Foss, who was employed in ship-building at Stroudwater, came to visit him. Captain Rhines brought him on to the island to see Ben. He conceived a great liking for Charlie, who then had two boats set up in the shop, and partly done. Charlie, in the course of conversation, told him of his desire and intention one day to become a ship-builder.
“If that is your intention,” was the reply of Mr. Foss, “you have worked long enough on boats.”
“Why so, sir; is it not much the same thing?”
“Not by any means; the proportions are very different. A full boat would be a very sharp ship—too sharp: the scale is larger, and the distances longer. What would be a proper dead rise in a boat would be quite another thing, come to let it run the length of a vessel’s floor, three times as wide as the whole boat. I’m going to set up a vessel when I go back; if you will go with me and work till spring, I’ll give you good wages, and learn you all I know; with the practice you have had on boats, you will learn very fast.”
Ben expressed his willingness.
“But I have these boats to finish.”
“Mr. Foss will not go for a week; what is not done by that time, I will do.”
“What will you do, if I take the tools?”
“You need take no more than a broadaxe, adze, square, rule, and compasses,” said Mr. Foss; “I’ve got tools enough.”
It was so late in the year, Ben thought he should not be able to cross to the main land much more, and told them to take the boat.