"Jack," said he, when I had done speaking, "the temptation" (pointing to
the money) "has been very great; you did not resist at the moment, but
you have, fortunately, seen your error in good time, for the money is
still here. I have little to say to you, for your own feelings convince
me that it is needless. Do you think that you can read a little? Then
read this." Anderson turned to the parable of the Prodigal Son, which I
read to him. "And now," said he, turning over the leaves, "here is one
verse more." I read it: "There is more joy over one sinner that
repenteth, than over ninety and nine that need no repentance." "Be
careful, therefore, my dear boy, let this be a warning to you; think
well of it, for you have escaped a great danger. The money shall be
returned. Go now, my child, to your employment; and if you do receive
only halfpence, you will have the satisfaction of feeling that they are
honestly obtained."

I can assure the reader that this was a lesson which I never forgot; it
was, however, succeeded by another variety of temptation, which might
have proved more dangerous to a young and ardent spirit, had it not
ended as it did, in changing the course of my destiny and throwing me
into a new path of action. To this I shall now refer.

Hardly a month passed but we received additional pensioners into the
hospital. Among others, a man was sent to the hospital who went by the
name of Sam Spicer. I say went by the name, as it was not the custom for
the seamen to give their real names when they were entered or pressed
into the service, and of course they were discharged into the hospital
by the same name which they bore on the ship's books. Spicer was upward
of six feet in height, very large boned, and must, when he was in his
prime, have been a man of prodigious strength. When he was admitted to
the hospital he was nearly sixty years of age; his hair was black and
gray mixed, his complexion very dark, and his countenance fierce and
unprepossessing. He went by the name of Black Sam, on account of his
appearance. He had lost his right hand in a frigate action, and to the
stump he had fixed a sort of socket, into which he screwed his knife and
the various articles which he wished to make use of--sometimes a file,
sometimes a saw--having had every article made to fit into the socket,
for he had been an armorer on board ship, and was very handy at such
work. He was, generally speaking, very morose and savage to everybo