58 EMINENT NATURALISTS. 



were apprenticed years ago, and the youth of to-day 

 have much to be thankful for, that a new species of 

 masters has originated who dare not practise cruelty, 

 and who must teach the trade to which the apprentice is 

 bound to him. 



Edward very frequently would take with him to the 

 shop little boxes containing butterflies, or bird's eggs, 

 which he had found on his way to work, but Begg soon 

 got into a habit of rifling the lad's pockets of such things, 

 and pitched them into the street, boxing afterward 

 Edward's ears for being " such a fool as to care for such 

 varmin." Tom's pets were ruthlessly treated by Begg, 

 and this cruel treatment of the little things hurt 

 Edward a great deal more than the physical punishment 

 which he was constantly receiving. 



One day Edward took three moles to the shop, and 

 these Begg killed at once, and afterwards knocked 

 down Edward with a last, and then seized him by the 

 neck and breast and threw him into the street. At 

 last he protested that he would not go any more to 

 work for such a cruel master. 



Thoughts came into his head of going for a sailor, 

 and he eventually came to the conclusion to run away 

 from home. He had no money of his own, as all that 

 he had been able to earn had been given to his mother. 

 His mother went out for a longer time than usual one 

 day, and, finding sixpence, he bundled his few things 

 together and started off, with the idea of going to 

 Kettle, about a hundred miles distant from Aberdeen. 

 He walked forty miles on the first day, and slept at 

 night on some hay which he pulled from a rick. He 



