He wore neither shoes nor stockings, and his feet and legs were as
brown as the sun could make them.

Captain Josh was at the shop door to receive him.

"Ye're late, lad," was his only greeting.

"I'm sorry, captain," was the reply, "but I had to go to the store for
grandma. Oh!" and he stopped short as his eyes rested upon the fine
full-rigged schooner sitting upon the work-bench.

"How d'ye like it?" the captain asked, delighted at Rod's interest.

"Great!" and the boy stepped cautiously forward, as if afraid that the
white sails were wings; to bear the wonderful thing away. "Who made
it?" he whispered.

"Oh, some fool."

"You?"

"What! d'ye call me a fool?" the captain roared, looking so fierce that
Rod shrank back a step.

"No, no, no. I didn't mean that. I only, I only----"

"I know, lad, I know," and the captain laughed heartily. "Ye didn't
mean any harm. Yes, I made her years ago fer another boy. She's been
lyin' here a long time, and so t'other day I got her down, cleaned her
up, and put on new sails, thinkin' that perhaps ye might like her."