Then the question arose, "Should I go from Portsmouth or from Boston?" It was finally decided that as Boston was the larger place, and had a greater amount of shipping than Portsmouth, I had better go to Boston, and sail from there. It was along in winter when this decision was reached. My departure was deferred until spring, not that there was very much for me to do at home in that season of the year, but because the traveling would be very bad when the roads were covered with snow and the weather cold. As the time approached for me to leave home I began to feel reluctant at going away. One day I was talking with David Taylor, one of my friends and schoolmates, at least he was my schoolmate for eight or ten weeks every year, and about my own age. When I told him I was going to sea he jumped at the idea, and said he would like to go too; like myself, he had thought and dreamed about the ocean, and nothing would suit him better than sailing over it. He said he would speak to his father that very evening, and try and get his consent. The Taylor family was situated very much like mine, and I thought it quite likely that David would have no difficulty in obtaining the paternal permission. The next morning, when we met at school, David shook his head, and said,-- "I'm afraid I can't go with you, John. I spoke to father last night, and what do you think he said?" "From the way you talk, David," said I, "I suppose he wouldn't listen to your going to sea." "Yes, that's it exactly. He said I had better stay at home, and if there wasn't room for me on the farm I could hire out among the neighbors. 'There's Major M'Clary,' said he, 'who has a big farm, and hires half a dozen hands most of the time, and a dozen of them in haying-time. You can hire out with him, I know. I fought under him at Bunker Hill, and I know he'd be willing to help along a son of mine.'" "Well," I answered, "what did you say to that?" "I told him I didn't want to hire out as a farm hand, and possibly be a hired man all my life. I'd rather go away and try to do something in the world, and I believed there was a chance for me if I'd only try it." "We didn't have a very long talk about it," continued David; "but at the end of what we had to say father remarked that he would think it over, and perhaps would see Mr. Crane and talk with him about it."