When the news of these decrees and orders in council reached the United States, President Jefferson called Congress together earlier than usual, and sent a message to inform the members of what had occurred, and recommending the passage of an embargo act, "an inhibition of the departure of our vessels from the ports of the United States." The Senate passed the act laying an embargo on all shipping, foreign and domestic, in the ports of the United States, with specified exceptions, and ordering all vessels abroad to return home forthwith. The House passed the bill; and it was signed by the President, and became a law. It was an attempt to compel England and France to respect our rights by withholding all intercourse with them. Looking back at it, I think it accomplished nothing, or a good deal worse than nothing. About fourteen months after its passage it was repealed; but at the same time Congress passed a law forbidding all commercial intercourse with France and England until the decrees and the orders in council had been set aside. David and I had been getting on very well in our sea-faring lives down to this time. As long as we were sailors before the mast we kept together; but when the time for promotion came we were drawn apart. I had risen to the rank of second mate, and so had David; but we found ourselves without occupation for a considerable part of the time. We were also separated from our friends, Bill Haines and Joe Herne, and only met at rare intervals. CHAPTER XIII. DAVID AND I VISIT OUR OLD HOME.--RETURN TO BOSTON, AND MEET BILL AND JOE.--BILL'S ADVENTURE ON THE CHESAPEAKE.--AN "UNLUCKY" SHIP. Along in the spring of 1808, David and I arrived in Boston; he from a voyage to Sweden, and I from one to China. The owners of our ships announced that they would be laid up for the present, and as soon as anything could be found for us to do they would give us employment. So we determined in our period of idleness to visit our old home. We had been prosperous, and saved a fair amount of money, most of which we had sent to our parents. Having reached the office of second mate on first-class ships, we thought it beneath our dignity to walk all the way to Pembroke; and so we took passage in a wagon that had recently come to Boston from Concord, the capital of New Hampshire, with a load of butter, cheese, and other things produced in the country. The wagoner was taking back a light load of goods, the proceeds of the sale of the articles I mentioned, and had plenty of room for two passengers. We could have gone by stage-coach, and saved several hours in time; but the difference between the stage fare and that of the wagon was enough to make us decide upon the slower mode of conveyance.