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.