22 APPOINTED ASSISTANT-FIREMAN. CHAP. II. 



enough, he would bring them home with him, feed 

 them, and teach them to fly about the cottage unconfined 

 by cages. One of his blackbirds became so tame, that, 

 after flying about the doors all day, and in and out of 

 the cottage, it would take up its roost upon the bed-head 

 at night. And most singular of all, the bird would dis- 

 appear in the spring and summer months, when it was 

 supposed to go into the woods to pair and rear its young, 

 after which it would reappear at the cottage, and resume 

 its social habits during the winter. This went on for 

 several years. George had also a stock of tame rabbits, 

 for which he built a little house behind the cottage, and 

 for many years he continued to pride himself upon the 

 superiority of his breed. 



After he had driven the gin for some time at Dewley 

 and Black Callerton, he was taken on as an assistant to 

 his father in firing the engine at Dewley. This was a 

 step of promotion which he had anxiously desired ; his 

 only fear being lest he should be found too young for 

 the work. Indeed, he used afterwards to relate how he 

 was wont to hide himself when the owner of the colliery 

 went round, lest he should be thought too little a boy to 

 earn the wages paid him. Since -he had modelled his 

 clay engines in the bog, his young ambition was to be 

 an engineman ; and to be an assistant fireman was the 

 first step towards this position. Great, therefore, was 

 his joy when, at about fourteen years of age, he was 

 appointed assistant fireman, at the wage of a shilling 

 a-day. 



But the coal at Dewley Burn being at length worked 

 out, the pit was ordered to be " laid in," and old Eobert 

 and his family were again under the necessity of shifting 

 their home ; for, to use the common phrase, they must 

 " follow the wark." 



