"I suppose you are all anxious to go to sea--boys always are, for the first time. One of my boats is going out, tomorrow.
"You," he said, pointing to William Gale, "shall go in her. What is your name?"
"William Gale, sir."
"Very well, William Gale, then you shall be off first. The others will only have a day or two to wait.
"I can only send one new hand in each smack. The others will go to the Home, till the smacks are ready. I will send a man with them, at once. They can have a day to run about the town. I shall find plenty of work for them, afterwards.
"You, Gale, will stop on the smack. I will take you on board, in half an hour, when I have finished my letter."
The three lads said goodbye to their comrades and to Sam Dickson. A sailor was called up, and took two off to the Smack Boys' Home; and Will Gale sat down on a coil of rope, to wait till his employer was ready to take him down to the craft to which he was, henceforth, to belong.
[Chapter 3]: Life On A Smack.
"Now come along, Gale," Mr. Eastrey said, at last, "the Kitty is close by."
Following his master, the lad went out from the store and along the wharf and, presently, stepped upon a smack on which several men, and a boy, were at work.