Chapter 1

A GOOD BEGINNING.

The patch of squashes--counting chickens before they are hatched--ifs--ducks, and the bright side--explanation--hopeful Nat--Nathaniel Bowditch--Sir Humphrey Davy--Buxton--benefit of hopefulness--the squashes coming up--Frank Martin--"all play and no work"--Ben Drake--scene when Nat was four years old--"thinking on his own hook"--men of mark think for themselves--"niggers' work"--great men not ashamed of useful work--the harvest-day--Frank's surprise--Nat as a peddler--his sister--his drawings--Samuel Budgett, Dr. Kitto, and the rich merchant peddling--"creep before you can walk"--the errand-boy and his success--what his culture of squashes shows 1-17