This was agreed upon by all hands, and the boy was as willing as any
of them. So, stepping into the boat, in about an hour's time they
reached the ship, which they had no sooner boarded but they were
brought before the Captain, who, being in want of hands, contented
himself with bidding them all go to their business; for the wind
turned about, and there was occasion for all hands to be at work to
carry out the ship.

All this while young _Avery_ was at the heels of the Boatswain, and
was observed to swear two oaths to one of the Boatswain's; which being
soon observed by the Captain, he inquired who brought that young
rascal aboard.

To which the Boatswain replied that he did, that the boy's mother was
his Landlady on shore, and he had taken him up in jest, but was afraid
that they would now have to keep him in earnest.

When the hurry was a little over, the Captain commanded the boy to be
brought to him in his cabin. He had not talked long to him before he
took a fancy to him, telling him that if he would be a good boy, he
should live with him.

He, being a mighty lover of children, would often divert himself by
talking to the boy, till at length he took such a fancy to him, that
he ordered him a little hammock in his own cabin, and none were so
great as the Captain and his boy _Avery_, which had like to have
proved very fatal to him; for Avery one night, observing the Captain
to be very drunk with some passengers that were on board, got a
lighted match and had like to have blown up the ship, had not the
Gunner happened accidentally to follow him into the store-room. This
made the Captain ever after very shy of his new Acquaintance, and
_Avery_, after he had been well whipped, was ordered down into the
hold, where he remained until they arrived at _Carolina_, which
happened four or five days after.

The boy was given to a merchant, who, taking a fancy to him, put him
to school; but he made so little progress in learning, and committed
so many unlucky tricks, that the merchant, in about three years,
shipped him off to his friends at _Plymouth_ on board the _Nonesuch_,
where he was no sooner arrived but his mother was overjoyed with the
sight of her son, his father being dead about a month before his
arrival.

And, indeed, it was thought the loss of their son broke his heart, for
it was observed the father never held up his head after, the
neighbours often reflecting upon him for his ill-usage of the seamen,
who