The Von Toodleburgs | Page 9

very likely the boat and all in her
would go to the bottom. Just let that happen once in the Tappan Zee,
and there would be an end to Mr. Fulton and his invention for getting
people to New York quick. Just let him set the Tappan Zee afire once,
and people would make such a storm that nothing more would be heard
of his inventions. When there was such danger of losing one's life
travelling in this way, what careful farmer, who had a family depending
on him, would think of either going himself or sending his produce to
market in such a way? There was no wisdom in the thing. The people
would stick to the sloops. That was the only safe way for sensible
people to get to market. Let them stick to the sloops, and Mr. Fulton
would not build a castle of what he got by his inventions.
The meeting was highly gratified at what the schoolmaster had said,
and, indeed, felt so much relieved that Hanz ordered a keg of fresh beer
to be tapped. These noisy, splashing steamboats would frighten people,

and by that means the good old-fashioned way of getting to market
would not be interfered with. It was also a source of great relief to these
honest people, that when those extravagant New Yorkers had spent all
their money on such wild and dangerous experiments, they would be
content to stay at home and mind their own business. Another source of
great alarm to these honest people was that several New Yorkers had
come to Nyack, and were building large houses, and otherwise setting
examples of extravagance to their children, when it was reported that
they did not pay their honest debts in town. The people of Hudson, too,
were going wild over a project for establishing a South-sea Company,
and sending ships to the far off Pacific ocean--where the people were, it
had been said, in the habit of eating their friends--to catch whales. Now,
as the people of Hudson had no more money than was needed at home,
this dangerous way of spending all they had was not to be justified.
Satisfied that they had settled a question of grave importance, and in
which the great interests of the country were involved, these honest
Dutchmen smoked another pipe and drank another mug of beer, and
then went quietly to their homes, feeling sure that the world and all
Nyack would be a gainer by what they had done.
CHAPTER V.
TITE TOODLEBURG AND A MODERN REFORMER.
Young Tite Toodleburg has grown up to be a boy of sixteen. A bright,
handsome fellow he is, every inch a sailor, and full of the spirit of
adventure. There is something more than Dutch blood in Tite, and it
begins to show itself. His figure is erect and slender, his hair soft and
flaxen, and his blue eyes and fresh, smiling face, almost girlish in its
expression, gave to his regular features a softness almost feminine. And
yet there was something manly, resolute, and even daring in his actions.
There was no such thing as fear in his nature. He had acquired such a
knowledge of seamanship that he could handle the good sloop Heinrich
quite as skilfully as the skipper, and, indeed, make the voyage to New
York as promptly as the greatest navigator on the Tappan Zee. He was
expert, too, at taking in and delivering out cargo, could keep the sloop's

account, and drive as good a trade as any of them with the merchants in
Fly Market. In this way Tite made a host of friends, who began to look
forward to the time when he would have a sloop of his own, and be in a
way to do friendly acts for them, perhaps to make a fortune for himself.
Tite thought very differently. Navigating the river in a sloop, to be
passed by one of Mr. Fulton's steamboats, was not the sort of sea-faring
that suited his ambition. He had seen big ships come home, after long
voyages, and the majesty of their appearance excited his spirit of
adventure. He had also spent his evenings reading the works of
celebrated navigators and travellers; and these very naturally increased
his curiosity to know more of the world and see the things they had
seen. He had also looked out through the Narrows of New York harbor,
and his young heart had yearned to be on the broad ocean beyond. If he
could only master all the mysteries of Bowditch, be a skilful navigator,
and capable of sailing a ship to any part of the world, and see strange
things and people--that day might come, he thought to himself. He had
listened, too, for hours at a time, to the