e through my Resistance
to him.

"What a young Tiger-cub it is!" he would say sometimes, swaying about
his Rope's End, as if undecided whether to hit me or not. "Lie down,
Rawbones! Lie down, Tearem!"

"You go to hit me again," I would cry, all hot and flurried; "I'll mark
you, I will, you Tarpaulin Hedgehog!"

Then in a Rage he would make a Rush at me, and Welt me sorely; but
oftener he would Relent, and opening his Locker would give me a slice of
Sausage, or a white Biscuit, or a nip of curious Nantz.

At last he gave up maltreating me altogether. "If you'd been of the same
kidney as Sawney M'Gillicuddy," he said, speaking of the poor little
Scottish lad who Died, "I'd have made you food for fishes long ago.
'Slid, my younker, but they should 'a had their meat tender enough, or
there's no vartue in hackled hemp for a lacing! But you've got a Heart,
my lad; and if you're not hanged before you're out of your Teens,
you'll show the World that you can Bite as well as Bark some of these
days."

So I became a prime Favourite with Captain Handsell; and, in the
Expansion of his Liking towards me, he began to give me instruction in
the vocation in which a portion of my life has since (with no small
Distinction, though I say it that should not) been passed. Of scientific
Navigation this very Rude and Boorish person knew little, if any thing;
but as a Practical Seaman he had much skill and experience. Indeed, if
the Hands had not enjoyed a lively Faith in the solid sea-going
Qualities of "Foul-Weather Bob," as they called him when they did not
choose to give him his demoniacal appellation, they would have Mutinied,
and sent him, Lashed to a grating, on a voyage of Discovery at least
twice in every Twenty-Four Hours. For he led them a most Fearful Life.

I had imparted to him that I was somewhat of a scholar, and that Captain
Night had taught me something besides stealing the King's Deer. There
was a Bible on Board, which the Skipper never read,--and read, indeed,
he was scarcely able to do,--but which he turned to the unseemly use,
when he had been over-cruel to his crew, of swearing them upon it, that
they would not inform against him when they got into port. For this was
an odd medley of a man, and had his moments of Remorse for evil-doing,
or else of Fear as to what might be the Consequences when he reached a
Land where some degree of Law and Justice were recognised. At some times
he would propitiate his crew with dona