"Possibly; but I have no desire now to go to sea. I have a trade that I like, and I shall stick to it until I am forced out of it." "How do you propose to get to New York? Got any plans ahead?" "Yes, a plan is all that I have got. It remains to be seen how I can carry it out. I do not think I can accomplish my purpose without your help." "I am at your service now, Ben, as ever before; only I would like to understand just what I can do." "That is what I want to talk with you about. I am not yet clear as to my best way of escape. If I go by land, on foot, they may send officers after me, and overtake me before I get half way there." "Of course it would be poor policy for you to go by land, if you can possibly go by water. There is a New York sloop in the harbor, and no doubt it will return soon." "But how can I get aboard? The captain will want to know who I am, and if he knows that I am a runaway apprentice, he will refuse me a passage." "I can manage that," said John. "I know the captain, and I think I can arrange with him to take you." "Yes, but he will want large pay for it. Of course he will not take me to New York without some money arrangement, and I have precious little money to give him." "You can sell some of your books," suggested John. "You will not take them to New York with you, and you can sell them readily." "That is a good idea, John; I will reduce it to practice at once. I shall not want much money anyway. But suppose the captain is very inquisitive about me, how will you get along with the case? He must be somewhat suspicious when a Boston boy wants to be taken to New York on the sly." "You leave that to me; I have no doubt that I can smuggle you through. He shall not know even that your name is Franklin." "Well, then, I will commit myself to your care. See that you manage adroitly, even if you have to make a package of me for transportation. I am going to New York if I am obliged to walk there." "I will go to see the captain at once, Ben; and I will be back with my report in two hours. Be on hand, and see if I do not make a good bargain for your passage. You always have succeeded, and I think you will succeed now." "Be off, then, in a jiffy, and I will run out to see where I can dispose of my books. I will be back in two hours, and meet you here." They parted, and John hurried away to see the captain. He found him on board his sloop. "Can you take a friend of mine to New York?" he asked. "That depends on circumstances," replied the captain. "Who is your friend? Can't take a pauper or a criminal, you know." "He is neither one nor the other. He is a young man about my age, a printer by trade, and he is going to New York to find work." "Why doesn't he find work in Boston? There are more printers in Boston than there are in New York." "That may be; but he prefers to work in New York. He's tired of Boston."