She was looking much smarter and trimmer, I thought, than when I had first cast eyes on her in Grenville Bay; for her sails were partly loosed, making her have the appearance of an ocean bird ready to be on the wing. I noticed, too, that she floated lower in the water, having evidently taken in a lot more cargo since I had been on board. When we reached the lower part of the town by the harbour side, after descending the perilously steep Constitution Hill, dad escorted us all to a famed establishment close by, known as "Jenny Gussett's Hotel," and kept by a gigantic coloured woman nearly seven feet high, where all the passengers by the mail steamers who had no friends in the island, used invariably to put up. Here, after ordering an early dinner, dad took me out with him to call on a shipping agent at whose place of business he had agreed to meet Captain Miles, leaving my mother and sisters with their crowd of darky attendants at the hotel until we should come back. The captain was punctual to his appointment like most sailors. "Ha, Eastman," he said when dad and I entered the agent's store, "you're just in the nick of time. I was only speaking of you a minute ago to our friend here. Got the youngster I see." "Yes, here he is," replied dad. "That's all right then," said Captain Miles. "How are you, Master Tom-- glad to go to sea, eh?" "Well--" I stammered hesitatingly, not liking to tell an untruth. "Oh, I know," said he interrupting me. "Sorry to leave mother and the girls, I suppose? Never mind, my boy, these partings must come some time or other, and the sooner they are over the better. I shall start, Eastman," he added, turning to dad, "late in the afternoon, as soon as the wind sets off the land; so, you'd better send the boy aboard when the sun begins to sink. My boat is now waiting at the end of the wharf to take his traps." "Thanks, Miles," replied my father; "but, won't you come round with us to Jenny Gussett's Hotel and have some lunch? My wife will be glad to see you." "Oh, has she come in to town to see the youngster off?" asked the captain. "Yes, we all rode in," answered dad. "The whole kit of us are here." "All right; I'll come then, as soon as I've finished arranging matters and signing bills of lading with my agent here," said Captain Miles cordially, adding, with one of his knowing winks to dad, "I've no doubt your missis wants to give me all sorts of directions about young Master Hopeful, eh?" "You might be further out in your guess," rejoined dad with a laugh; and presently the three of us went back to the hotel together, it being near the hour at which dad had ordered our early dinner, or luncheon, to be got ready.