At last he turned to Bob, and said,—
"What do you say, youngster, to shipping with me? I'll treat you well, and give you ten dollars a month."
"I should like to go," said Bob, hesitatingly. "But my mother——"
"Hang your mother!" interrupted the captain. "She'll be glad to get rid of you. Come—will you go?"
"I hain't got no clothes."
"Here's a chestfull. That other chap was just your size; they'll fit you to a T."
"I'll go."
"Cast off that line there!" shouted the captain; and the ship fell off with the tide, and was soon standing down the bay with a fair wind, and every stitch of canvas set. She was bound for the northwest coast, via Canton, and back again, which was then called the "double voyage," and usually occupied about four years.
In the mean while, the non-appearance of Bob seriously alarmed his mother. A night passed, and the town crier was called into requisition a week, when she gave him up, had a note read for her in meeting, and went into mourning.
Just four years after these occurrences the ship returned to port, and Bob and his friend were paid off. The wages of the widow's son amounted to just four hundred and eighty dollars, and he found, on squaring his accounts with the captain, that his advances had amounted to the odd tens, and four hundred dollars clear were the fruits of his long cruise.