CHAP. in. WISHES TO BE A SAILOR. 59 



make them pay the penalty for breaking the boy's 

 indenture." This threat gave Edward's mother a 

 terrible fright, especially when her boy insisted that 

 he would not go back. The family were left in fear 

 and commotion for some time. But at last, as nothing- 

 further was heard of the threatened prosecution, they 

 dismissed it from their minds. 



What was Edward to do next ? He was thoroughly 

 sick of his trade, and wished to engage in some 

 other occupation that would leave him freer to move 

 about. He would be a sailor ! He had a great 

 longing to see foreign countries, and he thought that 

 the best way of accomplishing this object was to 

 become a sailor. On mentioning the matter to 

 his parents, he was met with a determined and de- 

 cided refusal. They tried to dissuade him by various 

 methods. " Man," said his father to him, " do you 

 know that sailors have only a thin plank between 

 them and death ? Na, na ! If you're no gaun back to 

 Begg, you must find some other master, and serve out 

 your time. Bide ye at the shoemaker trade, and if 

 ye can make siller at it, ye can then gang and see as 

 mony countries as ye like ! " 



Such was his father's advice, but it did not suit 

 young Edward's views. He wanted to be a sailor. He 

 went down to the harbour, and visited every ship there, 

 in order to offer himself as a cabin boy. He asked 

 the captains to employ him, but in vain. At last he 

 found one captain willing to take him, provided he 



