was he? He put out his hands expecting to feel the soft feather pillow
that Mother Wentworth daily laid upon his bed. It was only a hard board
that he felt above him and back of him. Where was he? He rubbed his eyes
wide open, and little by little it came to him that he was in the cabin of
the schooner. What if the vessel should break away from her moorings and
drift off to sea? What if it had gone already, and this craft with a crew
of one were actually on her voyage? His heart thumped hard in his fright.
He crawled out of the cabin, making his way along as well as he could over
pieces of board, running into a carpenter's saw-horse provokingly left in
the door-way, and stroking his legs, he stepped outside. The wind from the
water swept cool across the vessel. Where was he? Adrift? He turned toward
the sea. The light at Simes Badger's lighthouse was still blazing, but far
away above the dark, angry sea, there was a faint glow in the heavens.

"Good!" thought Wort. "Father's vessel hasn't broke loose, for there is
the light-house where it was yesterday, and that's morning over there.
She's coming!"

He turned toward the town. He saw one light shining from a house window,
and thought it must signify a sick person or an early riser. Then he heard
a cock crowing.

"Never knew a rooster had such a pleasant voice before," he said. All that
he could do was to wait until Simes Badger's light went out, and day
filled the eastern sky, and not only roosters but human beings were
stirring in Seamont.

"Then some one will come and get me, I hope," thought Wort.

He patiently waited, watching the dark gurgling river and the brightening