sort of man, and you tell me that you go to sea."

I said, "Yes, and why not?"

"Well," said he, "I don't see how any man possessed with any common
sense and reason could ever be such a fool as to go to sea."

I said that possibly that was the reason for my going to sea - just
simply a want of good sense on my part. But it suited me very well, and
I should like to know what objections he had against a sea life.

"Why, sir, supposing you are in a gale and a fire breaks out on board,
what are you going to do? You have no back door to escape through?"

"Well, we may be able to leave in the boats."

"But you can't do it in a terrible storm."

"Well, then, we will do the best we can, and do as sailors often are
compelled to do, trust in Providence. But for my part, I don't see that
we run more risks in a gale at sea than you do in the cities or than we
do now on the rail. What is to prevent us from having a smash-up before
morning?"

"Well, now, my good sir, I beg of you don't go to sea any more, but just
come out to Iowa and buy a nice farm and settle down ashore. You can buy
a nice farm with all improvements at from three thousand to five
thousand dollars."

I asked him what was the matter with the other man, that he wanted to