wrote. I wished to be as dead to
all as had gone before. It were the third day arter I left Langhurst
that I got to Liverpool. I were very foot-sore, and almost famished to
death, for I hadn't had a gradely meal since I left home. I were
standing near a public, feeling very low and done, when some sailor
chaps as was drinking there began to chaff me, and one was for giving me
some beer and grog, but I wouldn't taste. Just then a Captain
Merryweather, commander of the barque _Sabrina_, comes up. He hears
what was going on, and takes me to a temperance inn and gives me a good
breakfast, and asks me if I'd go with him to Australia as cabin-boy."

"To Australia!" exclaimed both Thomas and Betty; "have you really been
to Australia, Sammul?"

"Ay, that I have, and back again too. Well, I were right glad to go
with the captain, more particularly arterwards, as I seed Will Jones a-
coming out on a public, and I thought if he'd a seen me, he might talk
on it at Langhurst. When captain axed me if I'd go with him, he wanted
to know my name. Eh, I were never so taken aback in all my life. I
couldn't tell what to say, for I'd made up my mind as I'd drop the name
of Samuel Johnson, but I hadn't got any other at hand to take to. So he
axes me my name again. All at once I remembered as I'd see'd the name
`Jacob Poole' over a little shop in a lane near the town, so I thought,
`that'll do;' so says I, when he axed me my name again, `Jacob Poole.'
But I were nearly as fast next time as he called to me, for when he
says, `Jacob,' I takes no notice. So he says again, `Jacob Poole,' in a
loud voice, and then I turns round as if I'd been shot. I wonder he
didn't find me out. But I'm used to the name now. I hardly know myself
as Samuel."

"And which must we call you?" asked Betty, with a merry twinkle in her
eyes. "Eh! fancy, `Uncle Jacob,' `Brother Jacob.' And yet it's not a
bad name neither. I were reading in John to our Sammul t'other day
about Jacob's well--that were gradely drink; it were nothing but good
spring wayter. But go on, Sammul--Jacob, I mean."

Samuel then proceeded to describe his voyage, his attachment to Frank
Oldfield, his landing in Australia, and subsequent separation from his
master till he joined him again at Tanindie. He then went on to tell
about his life at the diggings, and his conversion under the preaching
of the faithful missionary.

"I began to see then," he continued, "as I'd not done