ds, or the boat in which I happened to be might be
capsized, or I might die of fever, or be cut off by savages, or that I
might lose my life in a number of other ways. He asked me, if any of
these disagreeable things were to happen, where I expected to go. I
told him, of course, that I wished to go to heaven; and he then inquired
what right I had to go there."

"I do not think he had any right to ask you any such questions,"
observed Harry's companion. "I should have told him to mind his own
business. I do not like to be bothered by that sort of questions."

"I could not answer him in that way," replied Harry, "for he spoke very
kindly. He is, besides, an old man, and has been for a number of years
with my father, who thinks highly of him, for I have heard him say so.
Besides, he has taken great pains to teach me seamanship, always tells
me anything I ask him; and if it were not for him I should not know half
as much as I do."

"Still, I do not see why he should try to frighten you about dying, or
ask you where you expect to go if you do. It looks as if he doubted
that you would go to heaven," said Dickey.

"He told me very distinctly that I had no claim whatever to go there,
and that unless my sins were washed away, the Bible says that I should
be unfit to go there; that heaven is a pure and holy place, and that all
people are impure and unholy," said Harry, in a graver tone than usual.

"But I suppose he wants you to become religious, and read good books,
and give up laughing and singing and being the capital jolly fellow you
are now, Harry," interrupted Dickey Bass. "If I were you, I would not
listen to him; neither your father nor Mr Champion ever speaks to us in
that way. Just forget all he said, and drive dull care away."

"I have already forgotten, I am afraid, a great deal that he said,"
answered Harry; "but he seemed, at all events, very much in earnest, and
I cannot help remembering some of the things. Besides, Mr Champion has
lately spoken to me more seriously than he has ever done before; and
only last Sunday he gave me a book to read, and told me that he thought
it would do me good. As I found my sister Hannah's name in it, I
suppose she asked him to give it to me, and that he had forgotten to do
so till then."

"I saw you with one in your hand. Did you read it?" asked young Bass.

"It seemed very dry, and I fell asleep over it, so that I cannot say I
know much about it," answered Harry.