Theadvancecopy，thefirstone，wasreadyearlyinSeptember，andtheauthor，ofcourse，broughtitimmediatelytohisfriends。Theyfoundthededicationespeciallyinteresting:”ToC。W。andE。W。，consultingspecialistsattheliteraryclinics，withgratefulacknowledgments。”ProbablyCaptainElishawasneverprouderofanything，evenhisfirstcommand，thanofthatdedication。
Andthestory，whenatlastitappearedforsale，wasalmostfromthebeginningasuccess。Thereviewerspraisedit，thereadingpublic——thatfinalcourtofappealwhichmakesorunmakesnovels——
tookkindlytoit，anddiscussedandrecommendedit；and，mostimportantofall，perhaps，itsoldandcontinuedtosell。Therewassomethinginit，itshumanity，itssimplicity，itsclearlymarkedcharacters，whichmadeahit。Pearsonnolongerneededtoseekpublishers；theysoughthim。Hisshortstorieswerebidforbythemagazines，andhispricesclimbedandclimbed。Hefoundhimselfsuddenlyplantedinthemiddleofthehighwaytoprosperity，withaclearroadaheadofhim，providedhecontinuedtodohisbest。
InSeptemberStephengaveuphisworkatthebroker’soffice，spenttheweekswithhisfriendsinMaine，andthenreturnedtoYale。HegaveupthepositionontheStreetwithreluctance。Hewassurehelikeditnow，hedeclared。Itwaswhathewasfittedfor，andhemeant，morethanever，totakeituppermanentlyassoonashewasfree。AndhisemployertoldCaptainElishathattheyoungsterwasbright，clever，andapt。”Alittleconceited，needstakingdownoccasionally，butthatistheonlytrouble。Hehasbeenspoiled，I
shouldimagine，”hesaid。”Yup，”repliedthecaptain，withemphasis；”yourimagination’sagoodone。Itdon’tneedcultivatin’any。”