“I question much if your mother would give her permission for you to join the America’s crew, Nathan,” my uncle said, after a brief pause.
“She is willing, sir, that I become a sailor, as was my father before me, and surely could not refuse her permission if I should have such opportunity of serving an apprenticeship as would come under the command of a sailor like Captain Ropes.”
“You have turned that nicely, my lad,” Simon’s father said, with a chuckle, “and if it so be Master Crowninshield is willing to trust you aboard the America, my boy shall go, too; but I give you both fair warning that you will be treated the same as any lads whom I had never seen.”
“We ask for nothing more than that, sir,” Simon said, quickly, and I understood, although the formal permission had not really been given, that we two boys were favoured far above many able seamen of Salem, inasmuch as we would leave port on board the staunchest and swiftest privateer afloat.
Well, not to make too many words of what is in fact a short story, it is enough for me to say that, when Simon Ropes and I went to bed that night, it was with the knowledge that on the following morning we might present ourselves to the old gunner as lads belonging to the America, under his charge.
It is true my mother wept some while I gleefully told her of the good fortune which was mine; but never a word did she speak against the project, for again and again had we talked of the day when I should set off to follow in my father’s footsteps.
She must have realised that in a lifetime I might never hope to have such an opportunity of becoming a sailor as now presented itself, and while I doubt not that her heart trembled as she thought of our engaging in a regular battle, no remonstrance was made against it.
Simon Ropes and I did not give words to the exultation both felt, when we parted for the night.
Already had we begun to realise the responsibilities which would be ours. Even now we understood somewhat of the sorrow that must come when we parted with our mothers, and had a vague idea that when we left Salem it might be never to return.
Therefore it was we gave token of our joy only by a silent clasp of the hand.