“Then where do you live now?”
“Nowhere.”
“You have no home?”
“I don’t want no home. I can take care of myself,” said Tom, briskly.
“I see you are an independent, young woman. Now, if you were a boy, I’d give you a chance on board my ship.”
“Have you got a ship?” asked Tom, becoming interested.
“Yes, I am a sea-captain, and go on long voyages. If you wasn’t a girl, I’d take you along with me as cabin-boy.”
“I wish you would,” said Tom, eagerly.
“But you are a girl, you know? You couldn’t climb a mast.”
“Try me,” said Tom. “I’m strong. I fit with a boy yesterday, and licked him.”[him.”]