, with a fellow-feeling
for what he had gone through, took care not to arouse him, and he slept
till breakfast time the next day.

Peter found a considerable difference between the crew of the _Primrose_
and that of the _Polly_. They were generally a hearty, merry set; but,
alas! he soon heard oaths and curses coming out of the lips of most of
them. Some, too, were morose and ill-tempered and discontented with
their lot, and all seemed utterly indifferent about their souls.

Peter, however, was treated kindly, though of course he had to perform
the usual duties of a ship's-boy, shared by the two other lads somewhat
older than himself, apprentices on board.

The first day he got into the berth when no one was there, and was able
to read his Bible without interruption for nearly an hour. He was
thinking that it was time to go out lest he should be wanted, when a
tall handsome lad entered the berth.

"What! young chap!" exclaimed the latter, "are you a book-worm? I used
to be fond of reading tales and adventures; let us have a look at the
story you have got hold of."

"It's no story, it's all true," answered Peter; "it is God's word."

"Is that your style of reading? I have no fancy for it, though each man
to his taste, I say," observed the youth.

"You would find it a very interesting book, though, Owen Bell," said
Peter, who had heard the youth's name. "I never get tired of it, but I
read it whenever I can; for it's only by reading it that we can know how
to obey Christ, and be prepared to live with Him in heaven."

"Oh, but I have to live down here and knock about at sea," answered Owen
Bell, with a careless laugh. "It will be time enough when I become an
old chap, like Simon Hixon, to think about matters of that sort."

"Who is Simon Hixon?" asked Peter.

"The oldest man on board. You might have heard him growling away and
swearing at the cook, after dinner to-day, because the soup was not
thick enough," answered Bell.

"Does Simon Hixon read the Bible?" asked Peter.

"Not he. You had better just try and persuade him to do so, or to
listen to you, for I doubt if he can spell his own name," said Bell.

"Perhaps when he was young he might have said that he would begin to
read the Bible when he was old, and you see he has not begun yet,"
observed Peter.

"No, because he is such a sulky, swearing old ruffian. If he had been a
decent sort of fellow, I dare say he would have begun, if he had
intend