A
storm at sea will only vary the experience a little. I think I can
withstand it."
"You will have to stand it any way. Not much chance to choose when a
storm overtakes us out to sea. If I am any judge of weather, a
terrible storm is brewing, and it will be on us in a hurry."
"Well, I like the water; I meant to have become a sailor once, but my
father put his veto on it. If I had been allowed my own way, I should
have been serving before the mast now." Benjamin never spoke truer
words than these.
"Hard life," responded the captain; "if I could live my life over
again I should chose any thing on land rather than the best on the
sea. I would not command a vessel another day, if there was any thing
else I could do; but this is all I know."
They had scarcely emerged from the bay when the storm burst upon them.
It was the beginning of a long, violent, tempestuous spell of weather,
such as mariners encounter on the sea; a new and exciting experience
to Benjamin.
"I have heard a great deal about storms at sea, and----"
"And you will _see_ one now," interrupted the captain. "What you have
_heard_ about it gives you a poor idea of the reality, compared with
_seeing_ it."
"I confess to a kind of desire to see a real hard one," answered
Benjamin coolly. "If I should be frightened half out of my wits, I
shall be as well off as the rest of you.
Pages:
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328