er boy, and spent many a
pleasant hour in that little unsteady cabin, in endeavouring to instil
into his infant mind the blessed truths of Christianity, and in making
the name of Jesus familiar to his ear. As Fred grew older, his mother
encouraged him to hold occasional intercourse with the sailors, for her
husband's example taught her the value of a bold, manly spirit, and she
knew that it was impossible for her to instil _that_ into him, but she
was careful to guard him from the evil that he might chance to learn
from the men, by committing him to the tender care of Buzzby. To do the
men justice, however, this was almost unnecessary, for they felt that a
mother's watchful eye was on the child, and no unguarded word fell from
their lips while he was romping about the forecastle.

When it was time for Fred to go to school, Mrs Ellice gave up her
roving life, and settled in her native town of Grayton, where she
resided with her widowed sister, Amelia Bright, and her niece Isobel.
Here Fred received the rudiments of an excellent education at a private
academy. At the age of twelve, however, Master Fred became restive,
and, during one of his father's periodical visits home, begged to be
taken to sea. Captain Ellice agreed; Mrs Ellice insisted on
accompanying them, and in a few weeks they were once again on their old
home, the ocean, and Fred was enjoying his native air in company with
his friend Buzzby, who stuck to the old ship like one of her own stout
timbers.

But this was destined to be a disastrous voyage. One evening, after
crossing the line, they descried a suspicious-looking schooner to
windward, bearing down upon them under a cloud of canvas.

"What do you think of her, Buzzby?" enquired Captain Ellice, handing his
glass to the seaman.

Buzzby gazed in silence and with compressed lips for some time; then he
returned the glass, at the same time muttering the word: "Pirate."

"I thought so," said the captain in a deep, unsteady voice. "There is
but one course for us, Buzzby," he continued, glancing towards his wife,
who, all unconscious of their danger, sat near the taffrail, employed
with her needle; "these fellows show no mercy, because they expect none,
either from God or man. We must fight to the last. Go, prepare the men
and get out the arms. I'll tell my wife."

Buzzby went forward, but the captain's heart failed him, and he took two
or three rapid, hesitating turns on the quarter-deck ere he c