e me rig her again under his
inspection. This I did several times, till he considered I was perfect.
He next bought fresh stuff for a new suit of rigging, and made me cut
it into proper lengths and turn it all in correctly before I set it up.

"Now you see, Master Neil," said he, "we've just got the lovely _Psyche_
out of the hands of the shipwrights, and it's our duty to get the
rigging over her mastheads, and fit her for sea as fast as the work can
be done; so let's see how soon we can do the job."

Such were our indoor amusements, and thus I rapidly acquired an amount
of knowledge which most midshipmen take a long time to get stowed away
in their heads. Larry also used to take me out on the waters of the
bay, and taught me to row and to manage the sails of a small boat with
tolerable dexterity. I learned also to swim; and had it not been for my
possession of that art, I should probably long ago have been food for
fishes. And here I must endeavour strongly to impress on the minds of
my young readers the importance of learning to swim well; for not only
may they thus be enabled to save their own lives, but they may have the
happiness of preserving those of their fellow-creatures.

While my poor father lived, he attended to the more intellectual
branches of my education. My mother taught me to read, and for her sake
I loved reading. She also instilled those religious principles into me
which have been my support through life. Short and fleeting as was the
time she remained on earth, inestimable were the blessings she bestowed
on me. Whatever of the milk of human kindness flows round my heart,
from her gentle bosom I drew it forth; and surely I do not err when I
believe that her earnest prayers before the throne of mercy have caused
watchful spirits to shield me from the perils of the stormy ocean, and
from still greater dangers, the treacherous quicksands and dark rocks
which have laid in my course through life.

I was ten years old before it occurred to any one that a little of the
discipline of a school might be beneficial to me, to prepare me somewhat
better than I could be prepared at home to rough it in the rude world
into which I was ere long to be plunged. To the academy, therefore, of
a certain Doctor Studdert, near Cork, I was sent, where I contrived to
pick up a few crumbs of knowledge and some experience of life. I had no
great dislike to school, but liked home much better; and no one sung--