It was a lovely morning towards the end of April, and the blue waves of
the Atlantic Ocean danced merrily in the bright sunlight, as the good
ship _Columbia_, with all her canvass spread, scudded swiftly before the
fresh breeze. She was on her way to the great western world, and on her
deck stood many pale-faced emigrants, whom the mild pleasant day had
brought up from their close dark berths, and who cast mournful looks in
the direction of the land they had left a thousand miles behind them.

But though fathers and mothers were sad, not so the children--the ship's
motion was so steady that they were able to run and play about almost as
well as on land; and the sails, filled full by the favorable wind,
needed so little change that the second mate, whose turn it was to keep
watch, permitted many a scamper, and even a game at hide-and-seek among
the coils of cable, and under the folds of the great sail, which some of
the crew were mending on the deck. Tom and Annie Lee, however, stood
quietly by the bulwarks, holding fast on, as they had promised their
mother that they would, and though longing to join in the fun, they
tried to amuse themselves with watching the foaming waves the swift
vessel left behind, and the awkward porpoises which seemed to be rolling
themselves with delight in the sunny waters.

"For shame, Tom," said his more patient sister, "you know what mother
means? Suppose you should fall overboard!"

"I should be downright glad, I can tell you! I'd have a good swim before
they pulled me out,--aye, and a ride on one of those broad-backed black
gentlemen tumbling about yonder!"

"Oh, Tom!" sighed the gentle little girl, quite shocked at her brother's