r
knitting, and only just glancing up at the gentleman's face. She then
added, "I beg your pardon, sir, maybe I ought to know you, but you will
excuse me when I say I don't."

"Very likely not," answered the gentleman, "yet I rather think I was a
frequent customer of yours in former days, when I wore a midshipman's
uniform. My business, however, is with your son Bill. He is my
acquaintance. Tell me, Mrs Sunnyside, would you wish your boy to go to
sea on board a man-of-war, with a captain who would keep an eye upon
him, and give him a helping hand, if he proved himself worthy of it?"

Mrs Sunnyside did not answer at once. She went on knitting very
slowly, though.

"Oh, sir! It would be a sore trial to part from Bill. He is the
bright, cheering light of our little home. Yet the lad is fit for more
than he is now doing; and I would be thankful, very thankful, if I
thought he was with a kind, just captain, who would do as you say; but I
would rather let Bill answer for himself."

"Well, Mrs Sunnyside, the truth is, I have asked Bill, and he told me
that he should like to go to sea. He thinks he can help you better than
by remaining at home. I must not, however, praise myself too much. I
am Captain Trevelyan. I command the _Lilly_ sloop-of-war; and if Bill
still wishes, as he did the other day, to go to sea, I will take him,
and honestly look after him, and forward his true interests as far as
justice to others will allow."

"Thank you, sir, thank you!" exclaimed Mrs Sunnyside. "If Bill wants
to go, I will not say him nay; for I am sure you will do what you say,
and a mother's prayers will be offered up for you and him every morning
and night of my life. You see, sir, when I sit out here, I can often be
thinking of you; and if anything does happen to you or Bill, I am sure
it won't be for want of praying, nor for want of God's love; but just
because He sees it's best."

"Have you taught Bill to hold these sentiments?" asked the gentleman.

"Well, sir, I know he thinks and does just as I think and do."

"Then, Mrs Sunnyside, I shall be very glad to have him with me. He
will be one on whom I can depend on a pinch, and I shall like to think,
when I am far away, that you are remembering me and him in your prayers,
while you sit out here selling your apples. And here, Mrs Sunnyside,
Bill's outfit, I know, is not very first-rate; take these three guineas,
and spend them as you think best. You know as well