together for a while. There were so many things for the boy to see and
learn that his interest never waned. He was so happy when out on the
river in the _Roaring Bess_, and ere long he knew all about the boat,
and could steer her almost as well as the captain himself.

When the fall settled in, and the weather became cold, the water was
abandoned, and so the yacht was pulled out upon the stocks by means of
a rude windlass. Here, covered with a large canvas, she remained
during the long winter months, safe from the driving storms which often
raged over the land.

Then it was that the captain turned his attention to trapping, which he
had followed for several years. There were several big brooks flowing
into the river, draining a large area of country, principally wooded,
and these abounded with mink, raccoon, and other fur-bearing animals.
The captain was an expert, and knew the most likely places where game
could be best taken. Rod at times went with him on his regular rounds
to visit the traps, and it was always a great joy to the boy when he
was allowed to carry back some furry prize which had been secured.

Next to these trips, Rod's chief delight was to sit before the big open
fire on a cold or stormy Saturday afternoon, and listen to the captain
as he told stories of his sea life, while he worked fixing up his
traps, making stretchers for the pelts, or doing other odd jobs. How
the boy's heart would thrill, and his eyes sparkle with animation as
Captain Josh told of furious seas he had encountered, the dangers he
had escaped, and the races he had made with other sailing-vessels.
Sometimes he would tell an amusing tale, at which the boy would laugh
in high glee. Often Rod would ask questions about the sailors, the
sea-monsters, and the various ports the captain had visited. Sometimes