The Old Man, having related to the Little People how the Young Man went to Sea, now proceeds to tell what the Young Man did there.
The two days which the old man and his young friends had passed together had so completely broken down all restraint between them, that the children almost felt as if they had known the old man all their lives. It was therefore quite natural, that, when they went down next day, they should feel inclined to give him a surprise. So they concerted a plan of sneaking quietly around the house that they might come upon him suddenly, for they saw him working in his garden, hoeing up the weeds.
"That's a jolly idea," said Fred, while Alice said nothing at all, but was as pleased as she could be.
The little party crawled noiselessly along the fence, through the open gate, and sprang upon the Captain with a yell, like a parcel of wild Indians; and sure enough they did surprise him, for he jumped behind his hoe, as if preparing to defend himself against an attack of enemies.
"Heyday, my hearties!" exclaimed the Captain, when he saw who was there. "Ain't you ashamed of yourselves to scare the old man that way?" and he joined the laugh that the children raised at his own expense,--enjoying it as much as they did.
"That's a trick of William's, I'll be bound," said he; "but no matter, I'll forgive you; and I'm right glad you've come, too, for it's precious hot, and I'm tired hoeing up the weeds; so now, let us get out of the sun, into the crow's nest."
"The crow's nest!" cried William. "What's that?"
"Why, the arbor, to be sure," said the Captain. "Don't you like the name?"
"Of course I do," answered William. "It's such a cunning name."
It was but a few steps to the "crow's nest," and the happy party once seated, the Captain was ready in an instant to pick up the thread where he had broken it short off when they had parted in the golden evening of the day before, and then to spin on the yarn.
"And now, my lively trickster and genius of the quill," said he to William, "how is it about writing down the story? What does your father say?"
"O," answered William, "I've written down almost every word of what you said, and papa has examined it, and says he likes it. There it is";--and he pulled a roll of paper from his pocket and handed it to the Captain.