r, as
will probably be his fate, till he becomes in no way superior to the
uncultivated, ignorant men among whom he will be doomed to live,"
observed one of the ladies to Mr Wells, who was, I found, his wife.
"Can you do anything for him?"

"I was thinking on the subject, my love," answered Mr Wells. "The
question in my mind is, `In what position shall he be placed?'"

"Oh, my dear, that is very easy," replied the lady, in an eager tone;
"send him to a good school, and then make him one of your clerks."

"That might not prove a real kindness after all," said her husband; "he
has already, by his own exertions and good conduct, made one step up the
ladder, and I think it will be wiser to leave him to work his own way
upward. He will then be less liable to slip down again. I will keep an
eye on him, and give him advice when he requires it."

This I believe he said for my benefit, that I might not fancy that I had
nothing further to do than to wait for the coming of good luck, as is
the case too often with certain people, who then grumble and find fault
with the world because their luck never comes. I do not mean to say
that opportunities do not occur to some men more frequently than to
others, but I believe that they visit most of us at some time or other
of our lives, and that it is our own fault if we do not take advantage
of them.

"But I will learn what the boy himself has to say on the subject," said
Mr Wells.--"What would you like to do, my lad?"

"I want to be a sailor, sir," I answered, promptly; for such had been
the earnest desire of my life; "I wish to go to some of the places the
ships I see passing up and down the river visit."

"You are too young yet to go to sea, but when you are old enough you
cannot perhaps do better. The sea requires people of sense more than
any other, and yet some persons send the dunce of the family on board
ship, and then are surprised that he does not get on. You shall now go
back to the friends who have taken care of you, and who seem good
people. We must find somebody to whom you may go when you wish to get
some more learning, and I dare say you will find some means of earning
your bread till you are old enough to go to sea.

"By-the-by, I must not forget the reward I promised you for finding my
ring. I will bring it down to you to-morrow or next day, if you will in
the meantime trust me."

He said this smiling, and I felt sure he would not deceive me. At the
sa