Mrs. Seabury had some feelings of timidity about the sea-voyage, but of course such a kind offer was not to be refused, and, moreover, Mr. Seabury and Thornton were both delighted at the prospect of the voyage. So during the next two days there was a great bustle in the Seabury household. All their furniture, carpets, and other belongings were carefully packed up and stowed in the capacious after-hold of the _Three Elms_, for Mr. Seabury's intention was to live in a little house at Williamsbridge. Early Saturday morning Mr. Seabury and Thornton superintended the storage of the last load of goods, including the trunks containing their clothing and Thornton's precious books and instruments. Then the little family sat down to breakfast with Captain Whitby in the schooner's cabin, and Mr. Seabury added to his unfailing prayer before eating a petition for their safety during the voyage which they were about to undertake. "I can't get away from the wharf before three o'clock this afternoon," said the Captain, "because the _Three Elms_ can't get over the bar here except at high water." "It's spring tide to-day," remarked Thornton. "Hello, boy!" exclaimed the Captain; "are you a sailor?" "Oh no, sir," said Thornton. "I don't know one sail from another, but I know the age of the moon, and I know it's time for the spring tides here." "Well, even that's worth knowin'," said the Captain, "and if you keep your eyes open while you're aboard here, you'll learn a lot of other useful things." "It will be funny to see Thornton learning _useful_ things," exclaimed Mrs. Seabury. "Let the boy alone, mother," said Mr. Seabury, "he'll come out all right." In the afternoon the schooner got under way, with a fine westerly breeze abeam, and stood out to sea. As she passed the lighthouse at the entrance to the little harbor, the Captain took certain bearings of it with his compass, while Thornton stood by and watched him with interest. "I suppose you are fixing the schooner's position by bow-and-beam bearings," said the boy. "That's what I'm doin'," said the Captain; "but how'd you know anything about them?" "Oh, I've heard of them," said Thornton, modestly. "Well, come and see me set the patent log," said Captain Whitby. Thornton seemed to know something about that too, and the Captain decided that although the boy might have a good deal of useless knowledge in his head, he had hold of some facts worth knowing. He said as much to Mrs. Seabury, but she replied: "What's the good of his knowing those things? He isn't a sailor." "That's true enough," answered the Captain, remembering that the boy did not know one sail from another. By six o'clock the schooner was well out to sea, and as it grew dark the Captain came on deck with his sextant. Thornton became intensely interested. "Going to take Jupiter for latitude, Captain?" he asked. "That's what," was the reply; "but what do you know about it?"