CHAP. IV. | Arrives at the Kettle. 81 
burn, he washed and dried his feet, and put on his stock- 
ings and shoes, rubbing the dust from off his clothes pre- 
paratory to arriving at his destination. He reached Kettle 
in the evening, and soon found his uncle. But the recep- 
tion he met with did not at all meet his expectations: it 
was any thing but cordial. After some inquiries, the uncle 
came to the conclusion that the boy had done some mis- 
chief, and had run away from his parents to hide himself 
in the Kettle. He could not believe that the boy had come 
so far merely to see him. The old man’s relations were all 
dead, or had removed from the place. He was merely 
lodging with a friend. The house in which he lodged was 
full, and there was no spare bed for Edward. At length 
the woman of the house said that she would make up a bed 
for him in the place where she kept her fire-wood. 
When the boy had got his supper, he was asked if he 
could read. “A little.” The Bible was got, and he was 
asked to read two chapters. He was next asked if he could 
sing. “No.” He was then told that he might go to bed. 
The bed was soft and sweet to the tired boy. As he went 
to sleep he heard the people of the house reading the Bible 
and singing a psalm. 
He slept very sound, and would have slept much longer 
but for his being wakened up next morning for breakfast. 
The rain fell very heavily that day. The boy began to feel 
very weary and lonesome, and wished again to be at home. 
He had taken no thought, until now, of the results of his 
leaving so suddenly. He thought of what his father and 
mother might think of his disappearance. He wondered 
whether he might now get away to sea. 
But how was he to get home? He had now only a poor 
half-penny left. However, he had still a gully; perhaps he 
might be able to sell that. After considering the matter, 
he resolved to set out for Aberdeen, rather than be a bur- 
den to the people at the Kettle. He told his uncle that he 
would leave next day. The uncle said nothing. The boy 
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