'God bless your young heart!' and holding out his hands he soon showed that he knew how to dispose of them; as soon as he had finished he jumped down on his one leg, and adjusted his crutches. 'Now, my hearties, I tell you what do you do; steer that craft o' your'n right straight across to the fort, and just where you see that ledge of rocks ends, you'll come foul of a pair o' stairs; haul up there, and wait till I hobble round to my boat, and I'll be with you afore you've made all fast.' Away went the old man, his crutches making the sand fly in his haste to get to his boat, which lay a short distance from where he had been sitting. The boys obeyed his directions, and had scarcely made their boat fast, ere the old man was alongside. 'Now, my hearties, you just hold on awhile here, till I see the major.' The moments seem long when we are in suspense, and our boys, in their anxiety, began to fear that they should see no more of the old sailor; it appeared so long, so very long that he stayed. After gazing intently at the gate until their eyes were aching, all at once the sentinel stopped, made a peculiar motion with his musket, and put his hand to his cap; a gentleman of fine appearance passed out, followed at a respectful distance by the crutches. He came directly to the stairs, and accosting the boys in a very pleasant manner, inquired where they had come from, and what they had for sale. Jim, in a straightforward, manly way, answered his queries. 'But, my little fellow, what ever put it into your head to come so far as this in search of a market?' 'We could think, sir, of no other place where there would be the least chance to sell any thing; the people in this region are too poor to buy such things.' 'You may well say so, my lad, and they are like to be so; for a lazier set I never saw; but I am glad to find that you, boys, are disposed to do something. Peter tells me that you have some choice things for sale.' Peter, as we must call him hereafter, touched his hat when his name was mentioned, but otherwise remained perfectly still, at a respectful distance, saying nothing. Jim immediately uncovered the different articles, and with his hat off, looked up at the officer, who smiled as he surveyed the little stock of goods. 'You have made out a pretty good assortment--those strawberries are fine, indeed; are there plenty such raised in your area?' 'None, sir, but in our garden; my father used to be very fond of fruit, and he taught us to raise it.' 'Is your father living?' 'He is not, sir.' A shade of sadness at once passed over the countenance of the officer, and his eye settled more intently upon the boy. 'Well, my lad, have you fixed upon a price for your articles?' 'I leave that to yourself, sir, as I am entirely ignorant of their value.' Major Morris then ordered the different articles to be measured, and putting down prices to them such as he was accustomed to pay, handed the paper to Jim.