“His friends have thought it best to send him to sea, but he is obstinate and headstrong, and might make trouble; so I agreed to manage it.”
He briefly related the strategy of which he had made use. The mate laughed approvingly.
“We’ll make a sailor of him before we get through,” he said.
“No doubt of it.”
Meanwhile our hero, wrapped in a sleep unnaturally profound, slumbered on happily unconscious of the unjustifiable plot which had been contrived against him. On deck all was bustle and hurry. The pilot was all ready on board, the sailors were hurrying about in obedience to the quick commands of the officers, the creaking of cordage was heard, and in a short time the Sea Eagle had commenced her voyage. But Harry heard nothing. His slumber was profound. His career as an office-boy was at an end, and after one brief day in the great city he was drifting away unconsciously from home and friends, in the power of a reckless man, from whose despotism there was no appeal.
I am quite sure that my young readers will all sympathize with Harry. His misfortune was in no sense occasioned by his misconduct. He had left home with a firm determination to do his duty, and work his way upward to a position where he could be of service to his mother and sister; but all his plans seemed disastrously interrupted.
But I do not despair of Harry yet. Hitherto his course has been smooth, and he has had no opportunity of showing what he is. Difficulties develop strength of character, and it is pretty clear that Harry has got into difficulties, and those of a serious kind.
Will he sink or swim?