With these words he hurried off, followed by all the boys.  He led the way up an inclined plane which ran up to the bows of the ship, and on reaching this place they went along a staging, and finally, coming to a ladder, they clambered up, and found themselves on the deck of the ship.

“I must leave you now, Bart, my boy,” said the gentleman; “you go to the quarter-deck and take care of yourselves.  I must go down again.”

“Who in the world is he, Bart?” asked the boys, as they all stood on the quarter-deck.

“Was there ever such luck!” cried Bart, joyously.  “This is the ship Sylph, and that is Mr. Watson, and he has built this ship for my father.  Isn’t it odd that we should come to this place at this particular time?”

“Why, it’s as good as a play.”

“Of course it is.  I’ve known Mr. Watson all my life, and he’s one of the best men I ever met with.  He was as glad to see me as I was to see him.”

But now the boys stopped talking, for the scene around them began to grow exciting.  In front of them was the settlement, and in the yard below was a crowd who had assembled to see the launch.  Behind them was the broad expanse of the Petitcodiac River, beyond which lay the opposite shore, which went back till it terminated in wooded hills.  Overhead arose the masts, adorned with a hundred flags and streamers.  The deck showed a steep slope from bow to stern.  But the scene around was nothing, compared with the excitement of suspense, and expectation.  In a few minutes the hammers were to sound.  In a few minutes the mighty fabric on which they were standing would move, and take its plunge into the water.

The suspense made them hold their breath, and wait in perfect silence.

Around them were a few men, who were talking in a commonplace way.  They were accustomed to launches, and an incident like this was as nothing in their lives, though to the boys it was sufficient to make their hearts throb violently, and deprive them of the power of speech.

A few minutes passed.

“We ought to start soon,” said Bart, in a whisper; for there was something in the scene which made them feel grave and solemn.

The other boys nodded in silence.

A few minutes more passed.

Then there arose a cry.

And then suddenly there came to their excited ears the rattle of a hundred hammers.  Stroke after stroke, in quick succession, was dealt upon the wedges, which thus raised the vast structure from her resting-place.  For a moment she stood motionless, and then—­

Then with a slow motion, at first scarce perceptible, but which every instant grew quicker, she moved down her ways, and plunged like lightning into the water.  The stern sank deep, then rose, and then the ship darted through the water across the river.  Then suddenly the anchor was let go, and with the loud, sharp rattle of chains, rushed to the bed of the river.  With a slight jerk the ship stopped.