rise and very gently walk into the back kitchen; and as for the canary
bird, like all other canary birds, as soon as he was talked to he would
begin to sing, and that so loud that Mrs Maddox was beaten out of the
field. Bramble bore with her very well, but at the same time he did not
like it: he once said to me, "Well, if Bessy were at Deal, I think I
would take a short spell now; but as for that poor good old soul, whose
tongue is hung on the middle and works at both ends, she does tire one,
and that's the truth." But she really was a good-natured, kind
creature, ready to oblige in everything; and I believe that she thought
that she was amusing you when she talked on in this way. Unfortunately
she had no anecdote, for she had a very bad memory, and therefore there
was nothing to be gained from her. By way of amusing me, she used to
say, "Now, Tom, sit down here, and I'll tell you all about my bad leg."
And then she would commence with the first symptoms, the degrees of
pain, the various plasters, bandages, and poultices which had been
applied, and what the doctor had said this day and that day. I bore
this very patiently for four or five times; but at last, after several
days of increasing impatience (somewhere about the fifteenth time, I
believe), I could stand it no more, so I jumped off my chair and ran
away just as she commenced the interesting detail.

"Mrs Maddox," said I, "I cannot bear to hear of your sufferings; pray
never mention them again."

"What a kind-hearted creature you are!" said she. "Well, I won't, then.
It's not many who have such pity in them. Cotton, where have you got
to--always running away? One would think you don't like to be knitted.
Now, cotton, don't be foolish; where have you hid yourself? You make
others as bad as yourself. Scissors have got away now;--there now, sit
on my lap and be quiet."

However, if Mrs Maddox got back cotton and scissors, she did not get me
back, for I bolted out of the front door, and joined the men who were
lolling against the gunnel of a galley hauled up on the shingle.

During the period of which I am speaking, I continued every day to add
to my knowledge of my profession, and eventually I was competent to pass
my examination at the Trinity House. When I went on board a vessel with
Bramble, he would often give me charge of her, never interfering with me
(although he watched me carefully) unless he considered that it was
absolutely necessary, whic