22 EARLY LIFE 



and furs had entered the harbour. Captain 

 Kennedy, the owner, had come ashore, and ar- 

 rangements had been made for my passage on 

 board. I was roaming around as usual, and be- 

 ing sent for, on entering the room I was saluted 

 by these words from my father, "Alex, you must 

 go to school." This sentence kept ringing in my 

 ears all day. The schooner was to sail that same 

 night. My things were hurriedly packed, and 

 after wishing good-bye to all, with many kisses 

 and recommendations from my mother to be a 

 good boy, I was sent on board. The captain gave 

 me a comfortable berth in the cabin and told me 

 to turn in and have a good sleep. About mid- 

 night we got under weigh. I could not sleep a 

 wink all night. I did not cry either, but I was 

 feeling very dejected; it was all so sudden. Here 

 I was amongst utter strangers, rough sailors, 

 with a five hundred miles trip ahead of me and 

 all alone, and this question in my mind all the 

 time, what would school be like? Up to that 

 time I had never seen the inside of a school book 

 and could not speak a word of English, and I 

 was being sent to an English school, and to board 

 in an English family. It was enough to make an 

 older head than mine ponder. For two or three 

 days I was very quiet, and then I began to take 

 an interest in the sailing of the schooner and 

 watching the sailors do their work. The captain 

 was very kind, and did his best to encourage and 



