and hence we were somewhat limited in our resources; but to fish in the
creek we were free; also to haunt the ships and hear sea yarns, and to
skate in winter, were not forbidden. Jack Warder I took to because he was
full of stories, and would imagine what things might chance to my father's
ships in the West Indies; but why, in those early days, he liked me, I do
not know.

Our school life with Dove ended after four years in an odd fashion. I was
then about twelve, and had become a vigorous, daring boy, with, as it now
seems to me, something of the fortunate gaiety of my mother. Other lads
thought it singular that in peril I became strangely vivacious; but
underneath I had a share of the relentless firmness of my father, and of
his vast dislike of failure, and of his love of truth. I have often thought
that the father in me saved me from the consequences of so much of my
mother's gentler nature as might have done me harm in the rude conflicts of
life.

David Dove, among other odd ways, devised a plan for punishing the
unpunctual which had considerable success. One day, when I had far
overstayed the hour of eight, by reason of having climbed into Friend
Pemberton's gardens, where I was tempted by many green apples, I was met by
four older boys. One had a lantern, which, with much laughter, he tied
about my neck, and one, marching before, rang a bell. I had seen this queer
punishment fall on others, and certainly the amusement shown by people in
the streets would not have hurt me compared with the advantage of pockets
full of apples, had I not of a sudden seen my father, who usually
breakfasted at six, and was at his warehouse by seven. He looked at me
composedly, but went past us saying nothing.

On my return about eleven, he unluckily met me in the garden, for I had