he captain; "for he talks a great
deal about it in the kitchen, and often gets laughed at for his pains;
but he takes it all very patiently."

"Does he behave well as your servant?"

"Yes, that he does; he is as honest and civil a fellow as ever came on
board ship, or lived in a house."

"Was he always so well behaved?"

"No," said the officer; "when I first had him he was often very unruly
and deceitful; but for the last two years he has been quite like another
creature."

"Well, sir, I shall be very glad to see him, and think it probable I
shall wish to go through a course of instruction and examination; during
which I shall be able to form a judgment how far it will be right to
admit him to the sacrament of baptism. Can he read?"

"Yes," replied his master; "he has been taking great pains to learn to
read for some time past, and can make out a chapter in the Bible pretty
well, as my maid-servant informs me. He speaks English better than many
of his countrymen, but you will find it a little broken. When will it be
convenient that I should send him over to you?"

"To-morrow afternoon, sir, if you please."

"He shall come to you about four o'clock, and you shall see what you can
make of him."

With this promise he took his leave. I felt glad of an opportunity of
instructing a native of that land whose wrongs and injuries had often
caused me to sigh and mourn; the more so, when I reflected _who_ had been
the aggressors.

At the appointed hour my Negro disciple arrived. He was a very young-
looking man, with a sensible, lively, and pleasing countenance.

I desired him to sit down, and said, "Your master informs me that you
wish to have some conversation with me respecting Christian baptism."

"Yes, sir; me very much wish to be a Christian," said he.

"Why do you wish so?"

"Because me know that Christian go to heaven when he die."

"How long have you had that wish?" I said.

"Ever since me heard one goot minister preach in America, two years ago."

"Where were you born?"

"In Africa. Me was very little boy when me was made slave by the white
men."

"How was that?"

"Me left father and mother one day at home to go get shells by de sea-
shore, and as me was stooping down to gather them up, some white sailors
came out of a boat and took me away. Me never see father nor mother
again."

"And what became of you then?"

"Me was put into ship, and brought to Jamaica and sold to a master, who
k