Here he
worked hard and fared hard, but this gave him no uneasiness; his frame
was robust, he never took cold, he knew not what fear was.
[Illustration: VOLNEY BECKNER AT SEA.]
In the most boisterous weather, when the rain fell in torrents, and the
wind howled around the ship, the little Irish boy would fearlessly and
cheerfully climb the stays and sailyards, mount the topmast, or perform
any other duty required of him. At twelve years old the captain promoted
the clever, good tempered, and trustworthy boy; spoke well of him before
the whole crew, and doubled his pay.
Volney was very sensible to his praises. His messmates loved him for his
generous nature, and because he had often shown himself ready to brave
danger in order to assist them; but an occasion soon arrived in which he
had an opportunity of performing one of the most truly heroic deeds on
record.
The vessel in which Volney and his father sailed was bound to Port au
Prince, in St. Domingo. A little girl, the daughter of one of the
passengers, having slipped away from her nurse, ran on deck to amuse
herself.
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