Haste and Waste; Or, the Young Pilot of Lake Champlain. A Story for Young People

ttage; but it was still encumbered with a mortgage, as it had been for twenty years, though the note had passed through several hands, and had been three times renewed. John Wilford was n

the land and built his house, had established a ferry, which had been, and was still, his principal means of

orked half so hard as he had, in his own opinion, that had made fortunes, or at least won a competence, while he was as poor as ever, and in danger of having his place taken away from him. People said that John Wilford was lazy; that he did not make the mos

t wonder that he did not grow rich; only that he contrived to keep out of the poorhouse. She was the mother of eight children, and if he had been half as smart as she was, prosperity would have smiled upon the

cond son, inherited his mother's tack and energy. He was observing and enterprising, and had already made a good reputation as a boatman and pilot. He had worked

or there was but little of this work to be done. Unlike his father, he was willing to do anything which would afford him a fair compensation, and in his five years of active life on the lake he had been a pilot, a deck-hand, a waiter, and a kitchen assistant on board steamers, and a sailor, helmsman, and cook on board other craft. He pick

bad about the loss o

oop's boat pulled

lt," replied Lawry. "He paid too much

as very fond of th

e good," added

y he lost

h, though it was a b

t the captain was so cross I didn't like to ask him when we were

s,

sk him to t

for him," replied Lawry, pointing to a horse and wagon, the owner of

possible, for I'm in a hurr

ome into the

sit down und

been delayed by the absence of the ferryman on the other side of the lake.

been after you three times," said Mrs. Wilford, when th

he want?" a

Port Henry, and he wants you

Woodv

s her name,

m all rea

and eat yo

een to

the Sherman; but it is too late for h

an outside who wants to go over the lake; and the

I've done my dinner,"

the ge

tor in a bank, and has six

has six thousand dollars in hi

ants to get there by f

eling with so m

pocket, and it would have gone ov

the subject always uppermost in his mind, his thoughts stimulated, no doubt, by

erposed Lawry, when the ferryman had sat

m going to be rich, somehow or other," said he, with more earnestness than he usually exhibited. "I'm too honest for my own good. I'm going to do as othe

eman waiting, father,

ryman, still pursuing the exciting line of thought he had b

h ruins men sometimes, husban

ng ruined," said John Wilford, as he r

waiting for him, he stood before the window, looking out into the garden. Mrs. Wilford told him

inking about," said Mrs. Wilford

nking that people won't wait forever for him. I guess I

e prudent mother. "They are very grand people up at

y best clothes

e, her eye followed him with a feeling of motherly pride. He was a good boy, and had the reputation of being a very smart boy, and she may be pardoned for the parental vanity wi

he lake. It was intensely warm, and Mr. Randall had taken off his coat again, but he was careful to keep it on his arm. At the approach

the ends being so gradual that a wagon could pass down over it to the bottom of the boat. This inclined plane was extended by a movable platform about six feet wide, which swung horizontally u

. Randall, who hoped to reach Shoreham by five o'clock. He was not in a very amiable frame of mind; he was angry at the delay in starting, and

topped by the side of the ferryman, and threw his coat down up

e shall," repli

f you will land me at Poi

blow, if you would give

the bank director petulantly; "you kept m

p that," replie

few moments gazing at the Vermont shore, and appeared to be engaged in estimating the distance yet to be accomplished. Th

te," said John Wilford, as he stepped down

hall go crazy," r

s name, went down and splashed in the water. The bank director stepped back in

Mr. Randall, as the garment rolle

hold on to it?"

usand dollars in the pocket," g