, the family began to feel what it was to be hungry, and to
have no food to put into their mouths. Bill was up early and late, and
was always so hard at work that he declared he had no time to be hungry.
The truth is, he might always have had plenty of food for himself, but
that he thought fit to share every farthing of his gains among his
brothers and sisters.

One day he was holding a horse for an officer, who was, he saw by his
uniform, a commander in the navy, for Bill could distinguish the rank of
naval officers by the gold lace on their coats, and knew at a glance a
post captain from a commander, and a commander from a lieutenant, and so
on. He especially liked the look of the officer whose horse he was
holding; and while he walked it up and down as he had been directed, he
thought to himself--

"If I was to go to sea now I should not only get a rig out, but have
enough to eat, and be able to send home my pay to mother as soon as I
get any."

He had just before been taking a survey of his clothes, which, in spite
of all sorts of contrivances, he had no small difficulty in keeping
about him. He wished to look tolerably decent, though he had
considerable misgivings on that score. He felt very thin, and not so
strong as he used to be, which is not surprising, considering the small
amount of sustenance he took. The little ones at home were certainly
fatter than he was.

When the officer came out of the house he cast a kind look at Bill, who,
as was his custom to his superiors, pulled off his battered hat to him.

"I should like to know something about you, my lad," said the officer,
as he mounted his horse, in a tone which was as kind as were his looks.

"Yes, sir," answered Bill, pulling a lock of his long, shaggy hair; "I
be called Bill Sunnyside, and mother sells apples out at the corner of
High Street, there."

"A succinct account of yourself, my lad," said the officer.

"It be true though, sir," said Bill, not understanding what succinct
meant. "And, sir, I'd like to go to sea with you."

"Oh! Would you?" said the officer, smiling. "But how do you know that
I command a ship?"

"Because you would not otherwise be in uniform," answered Bill,
promptly.

"Ay, I see you have your wits about you," remarked the officer.

"It's as well I should, for they be the only things I have got except
these duds," answered Bill, giving way to a propensity for humour,
which, unknown to himself, he possessed, t