We stepped into his boat, and away we pulled towards my future home--the good ship _Triton_.  I had never seen a ship before, it must be remembered.  I had looked at pictures of them, so I was acquainted with their shape; but I had formed no adequate idea of the size of a large ship; and as the boat lay alongside of the _Triton_, and I looked up and saw one of the officers standing at the gangway to receive us, it appeared something like scaling the walls of a castle to climb up to the deck.  What should I have thought had the _Triton_ been a hundred and twenty gun-ship, instead of a merchantman of 500 tons, for such was her size!  However, I then thought her a magnificent ship; she was indeed a very fine one for her size.  Side ropes being rigged, we soon gained her deck.  The captain was still on shore, but my father at once made out Silas Brand.  He was a shortish, rather thick-set, fair man, with a roundish face and a somewhat florid complexion.  He had light hair, with largish whiskers, and he shaved his chin in harbour.  I had to look at him frequently, and to talk to him more than once, before I discovered that his countenance showed much firmness and decision, and that his smile betokened more than a good-natured, easy disposition.  My father had a good deal of talk with him, while Jack and I went round to see the ship.  In the course of our peregrinations, we entered what I found was the captain's cabin.  A lad of about my own age was sitting at a table, with a book and slate before him.  He turned round when the door opened, and eyed me narrowly before he got up from his chair.  Then, apparently recollecting himself, he advanced towards us.