"

"Well, father, I hope I may be able to save more than seven shillings
before I die; but no one knows. I have made my decision as I think for
the best, and we must leave the rest to Providence. We never know
whether we do right or wrong."

"Never, Jack; things which promise well turn out bad, and things which
look very bad often turn out just as well. I recollect an instance which
was told me, which I'll give you as a proof that we never know what is
best for us in this world. A man may plan, and scheme, and think in his
blindness that he has arranged everything so nicely that nothing can
fail, and down he lies on his bed and goes to sleep quite satisfied that
affairs must turn out well as he has ordered them, forgetting that
Providence disposes as it thinks fit. There was a gentleman by birth, of
the name of Seton, who lived at Greenock; he was very poor, and although
he had high friends and relations well-to-do, he was too proud to ask
for assistance. His wife was equally proud; and at last one day he died,
leaving her with hardly a penny, and two fine boys of the names of
Archibald and Andrew. Well, the widow struggled on, how she lived no one
knew, but she fed the boys and herself, and was just as stately as ever.
Her relations did offer to educate the boys and send them to sea, but
she refused all assistance. There was a foundation or chartered school
at Greenock, to which she was entitled to send her children to be
educated without expense, and to that school they went. I don't know
why, but they say the master had had a quarrel with their father when he
was alive, and the master had not forgotten it now he was dead, and in
consequence he was very severe upon these two boys, and used to beat
them without mercy; at all events it did them good, for they learned
faster than any of the others who were at all favored, and they soon
proved the best boys in the school. Well, time ran on till Archibald was
thirteen and Andrew twelve years old, and, being very tired of school,
they asked their mother what profession they were to be of, and she
answered, 'Anything except going to sea, for there you will never get
on.' But times became harder with the widow; she had not enough to give
the boys to eat, and they complained bitterly; but it was of no use, so
they got on how they could, until one day Archy says to Andrew, 'Why,
brother, we have nothing but ferrule for breakfast, dinner, and supper,
and I see little chance of