You will expect to hear that I got out of bed, and stole away in the
night.
Not so. I kept my bed till the usual hour for rising, though I slept
scarce a wink. The thought of my important purpose kept me awake, and
during the few snatches of sleep I had, I dreamt of big ships and
rolling seas, of climbing up tall masts, and dragging black, tarry
ropes, till my fingers were in blisters.
I had at first partly made up my mind to take my departure in the night,
which I could easily have effected without danger of disturbing any one.
There were no burglars in our quiet little village, nor had any been
heard of for years, so that most people left their outside doors on the
latch. The door of my uncle's house was on that night particularly free
of egress, for, it being summer, and the weather extremely hot, it had
been left "on the jar." I could have slipped out without causing it
even to creak.
But though so very young, I was not without some powers of
ratiocination; and I reasoned that if I ran away in the night, I should
be missed at an early hour of the morning, and consequently sought for.
The searchers, or some portion of them, would be pretty certain to
follow me to the seaport town, and find me there as a matter of course.
I should be in no better position than if I had given John the slip on
the preceding day. Moreover, it was but five or six miles to the town--
I should go over the ground in two hours at most--I should arrive too
early, before the people of the ship would be stirring--the captain
would be a-bed, and therefore I could not see him to offer myself as a
volunteer in his service. These were the considerations that induced me
to remain at home until morning, although I waited impatiently for the
hour.
I ate my breakfast along with the rest. Some one observed that I looked
pale and "out of sorts." John attributed it to my journey of the
preceding day, under the hot sun; and this explanation seemed to satisfy
every one.
After breakfast I was afraid I should be ordered to some work--such as
driving a horse, from which I might not easily get off--some one might
be set to a task along with me, who might report me too soon if I should
absent myself. Fortunately there was no work fit for me on that
particular day, and I was not ordered about anything.
Taking advantage of this, I brought out my sloop, which I was
occasionally in the habit of amusing myself with during hours of
leisure. There were other boys who had sloops, and schooners, and
brigs, and we used to have races over the pond in the park. It was
Saturday. There was no school on Saturday, and I knew that some of
these boys would repair to the pond as soon as they had breakfasted, if
not sooner. This would be a capital excuse for my going there; and with
the sloop ostentatiously carried I passed through the farmyard, and
walked in the direction of the park. I even entered the enclosure, and
proceeded to the pond, where, as I had conjectured, I found several of
my companions with their little ships going, in full sail.
"Oh," thought I, "if I were to declare my intentions! what a stir it
would make if the boys only knew what I was about to do with myself?"
I was welcomed by the boys, who seemed glad to see me once more among
them. The reason of this was, that of late I had been kept almost
constantly at work, and found but few occasions when I could join them
at play, and I believe I had formerly been a play favourite with most of
them.
But I remained among them only during the time in which the fleet made
one voyage across the lake--a miniature regatta, in which my own sloop
was conqueror--and taking the little vessel under my arm, I bade them
good-day, and left them.
They wondered at my going away so abruptly, but I found some excuse that
satisfied them.
As I crossed the park wall, I glanced back upon the companions of my
childhood, and the tears ran down my cheeks as I turned away from them
for ever.
I crouched along the wall, and soon got into the high road that led from
our village to the seaport town. I did not remain upon the road, but
crossed it, and took into the fields on the opposite side. My object in
doing this was to get under cover of some woods that ran for a good
distance nearly parallel to the direction of the road. Through these I
intended to travel, as far as they would screen me from observation; for
I knew that if I kept on the road I should run the chance of being
passed or met by some of the villagers, who would report having seen me,
and thus guide the pursuit in the right direction. I could not guess at
what hour the ship might weigh anchor, and therefore I could not make my
time for absenting myself from the village. This had been the thought
that troubled me all the morning. I feared to arrive too soon, lest the
vessel might not sail until I should be missed, and people sent after
me. On the other hand, I dreaded lest I might reach the port too late,
and find the ship gone. This would have been a disappointment worse
than to be taken back, and whipped for the attempt at running away--at
least, so I should have considered it at the time. I say, then, that
this was the thought that had annoyed me all the morning, and still
continued to do so; for it no longer occurred to me that there was any
danger of my being refused once I offered myself on the ship. I had
even forgotten that I was so small a boy. The magnitude of my designs
had magnified me, in my own estimation, to the dimensions of a man.
I reached the woods, and traversed them from end to end unseen. I met
neither ranger nor gamekeeper. When I had passed through the timber, I
took into some fields; but I was now at a good distance from the road,
and I was less afraid of meeting any one who knew me. I could tell how
far I was from the road, by keeping the sea in sight, for I knew that
the former ran close to the beach.
The tall spires of the seaport town at length came in sight, and by
these I was enabled to guide myself in the proper direction. After
crossing a great many drains and ditches, and scrambling through
numerous hedges--here and there making a bit upon private roads that ran
in the right course--I arrived on the outskirts of the town. I made no
pause there, but directing my steps among the houses, I soon found a
street that led towards the quay. I saw the tall masts as I approached,
and wildly beat my heart as my eyes rested upon the tallest of all, with
its ensign drawn up to the main truck, and floating proudly in the
breeze.
I took note of nothing more; but, hurrying forward, I scrambled over the
broad plank staging; and having crossed the gangway, stood upon the deck
of the _Inca_.