But when he saw me his look of hatred drove out of my mind my first impulse to help him.

I turned and ran after the captain.

That worthy never looked at me; but when he reached the boat he said to some one on board: "Bill, I call you to bear witness that I refused Bubby here a chance to run away." "Ay, ay, sir," responded a voice from the boat.
The captain took me gently by the hand and helped me over the gunwale.
"Get out o' here," he shouted, "an' go back to your lovin' father!" I sought to obey, but he winked at me and motioned me into the little cabin forward.
"An' now, my buck," said he, "that you've stowed yourself away and got so far from home that to put you ashore would be to maroon you in the wilderness, do you want to take a job as driver?
That boy I've got lives in Salina, and we'll take you on if you feel like a life on the ocean wave.

Can you drive ?" "I do' know!" said I.
"Have you ever worked ?" he asked.
"I've worked ever since I was six," I answered.
"Would you like to work for me ?" said he.
I looked him in the face for a moment, and answered confidently, "Yes." "It's a whack," said he.

"Maybe we'd better doctor that back o' your'n a little, and git yeh heartened up for duty." And so, before I knew it, I was whisked off into a new life..