"I'm afraid you will never be rich enough to do that."
"If I am not I will not complain."
"You didn't make much on this cruise," laughed my father.
"In money probably two or three thousand dollars, and in experience and knowledge as much more."
I explained my plans and views to my father; but as I intended to go to Europe by steamer, as soon as I could get rid of the trial of the slave traders, he offered no objection. I remained in St. Louis a week, when the United States marshal wrote for me to appear in New York. Before I went, I called on my friend Mr. Lamar, and told him all about Waterford; and when I started, an agent of the banks went with me to claim the money which the pirate had obtained from them by forgery. This claim was established and allowed, and the loss of the banks was made good to them. The trial of the slavers came on sooner than I had reason to expect, and they were sentenced to three years' imprisonment—which I thought was a very mild punishment.
The bark was condemned and sold, with all her stores and cargo, and, including my share of the Spaniards' money, which was regarded as part of the "lading," I had the handsome sum of twenty-five hundred dollars. As we all fared alike in the division, my shipmates were willing to acknowledge that, even in a pecuniary point of view, it was better to do right than to do wrong. Sanderson and Baxter kept sober after they went on shore, and both of them are now temperance men. Baxter is chief mate of a large Indiaman, and Sanderson has retired to a little farm in Maine, which he bought with his share of the prize-money. Of the rest of the crew I know nothing; but I suppose most of them kept drunk till they had spent all their money, or had been robbed of what they did not spend, and then went to sea again; but I will venture to say that none of them ever voluntarily served in a slave ship.
I was prepared for more sea swashes, for I liked the sea. I was ready to sail for Europe as a passenger in a steamer. I hoped soon to find my mother, and unite our little family under one roof in St. Louis. And so, for a time, I abandoned Cringle and Cross-tree.
THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES.
1. Field and Forest; or, The Fortunes of a Farmer.