facilities existed in the city for operations of a nautical character；
and； lastly； my Christmas money amounted only to five dollars。
It was my father who pointed out these and other objections。 For； after
a careful perusal of the price lists I had sent for； I had been forced to
appeal to him to supply additional funds with which to purchase a row…
boat。 Incidentally； he read me a lecture on extravagance； referred to my
last month's report at the Academy； and finished by declaring that he
would not permit me to have a boat even in the highly improbable case of
somebody's presenting me with one。 Let it not be imagined that my ardour
or my determination were extinguished。 Shortly after I had retired from
his presence it occurred to me that he had said nothing to forbid my
making a boat； and the first thing I did after school that day was to
procure； for twenty…five cents； a second…hand book on boat construction。
The woodshed was chosen as a shipbuilding establishment。 It was
convenientand my father never went into the back yard in cold weather。
Inquiries of lumber…yards developing the disconcerting fact that four
dollars and seventy…five cents was inadequate to buy the material itself；
to say nothing of the cost of steaming and bending the ribs； I
reluctantly abandoned the ideal of the graceful craft I had sketched； and
compromised on a flat bottom。 Observe how the ways of deception lead to
transgression： I recalled the cast…off lumber pile of Jarvis； the
carpenter； a good…natured Englishman； coarse and fat： in our
neighbourhood his reputation for obscenity was so well known to mothers
that I had been forbidden to go near him or his shop。 Grits Jarvis； his
son； who had inherited the talent； was also contraband。 I can see now
the huge bulk of the elder Jarvis as he stood in the melting； soot…
powdered snow in front of his shop； and hear his comments on my
pertinacity。
〃If you ever wants another man's missus when you grows up； my lad； Gawd
'elp 'im！〃
〃Why should I want another man's wife when I don't want one of my own？〃
I demanded； indignant。
He laughed with his customary lack of moderation。
〃You mind what old Jarvis says；〃 he cried。 〃What you wants； you gets。〃
I did get his boards； by sheer insistence。 No doubt they were not very
valuable； and without question he more than made up for them in my
mother's bill。 I also got something else of equal value to me at the
moment；the assistance of Grits； the contraband； daily； after school； I
smuggled him into the shed through the alley； acquiring likewise the
services of Tom Peters； which was more of a triumph than it would seem。
Tom always had to be 〃worked up〃 to participation in my ideas； but in the
end he almost invariably succumbed。 The notion of building a boat in the
dead of winter； and so far from her native element； naturally struck him
at first as ridiculous。 Where in Jehoshaphat was I going to sail it if I
ever got it made？ He much preferred to throw snowballs at innocent wagon
drivers。
All that Tom saw； at first； was a dirty； coal…spattered shed with dim
recesses； for it was lighted on one side only； and its temperature was
somewhere below freezing。 Surely he could not be blamed for a tempered
enthusiasm！ But for me； all the dirt and cold and discomfort were
blotted out； and I beheld a gallant craft manned by sturdy seamen forging
her way across blue water in the South Seas。 Treasure Island； alas； was
as yet unwritten； but among my father's books were two old volumes in
which I had hitherto taken no interest； with crude engravings of palms
and coral reefs； of naked savages and tropical mountains covered with
jungle； the adventures； in brief； of one Captain Cook。 I also discovered
a book by a later traveller。 Spurred on by a mysterious motive power；
and to the great neglect of the pons asinorum and the staple products of
the Southern States； I gathered an amazing amount of information
concerning a remote portion of the globe； of head…hunters and poisoned
stakes； of typhoons； of queer war…craft that crept up on you while you
were dismantling galleons； when desperate hand…to…hand encounters ensued。
Little by little as I wove all this into personal adventures soon to be
realized； Tom forgot the snowballs and the maddened grocery…men who
chased him around the block； while Grits would occasionally stop sawing
and cry out：
〃Ah； s'y！〃 frequently adding that he would be Gdd。
The cold woodshed became a chantry on the New England coast； the alley
the wintry sea soon to embrace our ship； the saw…horseswhich stood
between a coal…bin on one side and unused stalls filled with rubbish and
kindling on the otherthe ways； the yard behind the lattice fence became
a backwater； the flapping clothes the sails of ships that took refuge
thereon Mondays and Tuesdays。 Even my father was symbolized with
unparalleled audacity as a watchful government which had； up to the
present； no inkling of our semi…piratical intentions！ The cook and the
housemaid； though remonstrating against the presence of Grits； were
friendly confederates； likewise old Cephas； the darkey who； from my
earliest memory； carried coal and wood and blacked the shoes； washed the
windows ；and scrubbed the steps。
One afternoon Tom went to work。。。。
The history of the building of the good ship Petrel is similar to that of
all created things； a story of trial and error and waste。 At last； one
March day she stood ready for launching。 She had even been caulked； for
Grits； from an unknown and unquestionably dubious source； had procured a
bucket of tar； which we heated over afire in the alley and smeared into
every crack。 It was natural that the news of such a feat as we were
accomplishing should have leaked out； that the 〃yard〃 should have been
visited from time to time by interested friends； some of whom came to
admire； some to scoff； and all to speculate。 Among the scoffers； of
course； was Ralph Hambleton； who stood with his hands in his pockets and
cheerfully predicted all sorts of dire calamities。 Ralph was always a
superior boy； tall and a trifle saturnine and cynical； with an amazing
self…confidence not wholly due to the wealth of his father； the iron…
master。 He was older than I。
〃She won't float five minutes； if you ever get her to the water；〃 was his
comment； and in this he was supported on general principles by Julia and
Russell Peters。 Ralph would have none of the Petrel； or of the South
Seas either； but he wanted；so he said；〃to be in at the death。〃 The
Hambletons were one of the few families who at that time went to the sea
for the summer； and from a practical knowledge of craft in general Ralph
was not slow to point out the defects of ours。 Tom and I defended her
passionately。
Ralph was not a romanticist。 He was a born leader； excelling at
organized games； exercising over boys the sort of fascination that comes
from doing everything better and more easily than others。 It was only
during the progress of such enterprises as this affair of the Petrel that
I succeeded in winning their allegiance； bit by bit； as Tom's had been
won； fanning their enthusiasm by impersonating at once Achilles and
Homer； recruiting while relating the Odyssey of the expedition in glowing
colours。 Ralph always scoffed； and when I had no scheme on foot they
went back to him。 Having surveyed the boat and predicted calamity； he
departed； leaving a circle of quaint and youthful figures around the
Petrel in the shed： Gene Hollister； romantically inclined； yet somewhat
hampered by a strict parental supervision； Ralph's cousin Ham Durrett；
who was even then a rather fat boy； good…natured but selfish； Don and
Harry Ewan； my second cousins； Mac and Nancy Willett and Sam and Sophy
McAlery。 Nancy was a tomboy； not to be denied； and Sophy her shadow。 We
held a council； the all…important question of which was how to get the
Petrel to the water； and what water to get her to。 The river was not to
be thought of； and Blackstone Lake some six miles from town。 Finally；
Logan's mill…pond was decided on；a muddy sheet on the outskirts of the
city。 But how to get her to Logan's mill…pond？ Cephas was at length
consulted。 It turned out that he had a coloured friend who went by the
impressive name of Thomas Jefferson Taliaferro （pronounced Tolliver）； who
was in the express business； and who； after surveying the boat with some
misgivings；for she was ten feet long；finally consented to transport
her to 〃tide…water〃 for the sum of two dollars。 But it proved that our
combined resources only amounted to a dollar and seventy…five cents。 Ham
Durrett never contributed to anything。 On this sum Thomas Jefferson
compromised。
Saturday dawned clear； with a stiff March wind catching up the dust into
eddies and whirling it down the street。 No sooner was my father safely
on his way to his office than Thomas Jefferson was reported to be in the
alley； where we assembled； surveying with some misgivings Thomas
Jefferson's steed； whose ability to haul the Petrel two miles seemed
somewhat doubtful。 Other difficulties developed； the door in the back of
the shed proved to be too narrow for our ship's beam。 But men e