satisfaction, surveying her from every quarter, and placing her in every possible position--indeed, I was never tired of trimming sails. I had had a purpose in building her, for I wanted to present her to my kind captain for one of his little boys, whom I had seen occasionally on board. Old Pat Hagan, though too advanced in years to be intrusted entirely with the charge of the ship, occasionally came down to enable me to take a run on shore. The first day, therefore, that he made his appearance, I started with my model on my head to the captain's residence. "Who has sent you here, Jack, with that pretty little craft?" asked Captain Helfrich, as I was shown into his parlour, where he with his wife and children were sitting. "Why, sir, as I hoped that you would not think me taking too much on myself in offering it to Master James, I made bold to bring it myself," I replied, looking down and feeling somewhat bashful at the praise my model was receiving. "I cannot refuse your pretty gift, Jack, which, I am sure is given with a good heart. But where did you pick her up my man?" answered the captain. "But just let me look at her nearer. Why, she is the very model of the _Rainbow_!" When I told him that I had built her myself, he still further praised me, as did his lady; and Master James was delighted with his present, and jumped about round her, and thanked me over and over again. "I am very much pleased, my lad, with this little craft, and from the way you have built her, and, still more, from your general conduct, I tell you that you would be fitted to become an officer if you had but the necessary education. You must try and obtain that, and I will have my eye on you. The next time you come home, you shall go to school; and see if you cannot pick up some knowledge of reading during the voyage." I constantly think of the saying, "Man proposes, but Heaven disposes." So I found it in this instance. My kind captain would have done all he intended, but his plans for my benefit were frustrated by circumstances then unforeseen by either of us.