hour in the front room and
kitchen, clearing up and cleaning and preparing for breakfast. All was
ready before Bramble came down and took a seat in his big chair, close
to the breakfast-table.

"All ready, father," said little Bessy, going up to Bramble to be
kissed. "Tom has been helping me."

"All's right," said Bramble; "bring the book, dear." Bessy brought a
large Bible, and read a chapter aloud, then closed it and put it away.

"We can't always do this, Tom," observed Bramble, "when we're knocking
about in the Channel; all we can do is to read it when we can. Come now
to breakfast."

When we had finished I assisted Bessy to put everything away, and then
Bramble said to me, "Anderson tells me you're a good scholar, Tom; but
you must now learn what will be of use to me as well as to you. The
first thing you must learn, and which you can do on shore, are the
points of the compass, to know them at sight and tell them quickly; for
you see it's of great importance to a pilot to know exactly how a ship's
head is; and the men at the helm, although good seamen and steering
well, are not so ready at answering as a pilot wishes, and very often
stammer at it--sometimes make mistakes. Now, you see, when I'm piloting
a vessel, if you stand at the binnacle, watch the compass, and answer me
quickly how the ship's head is, you'll be of use to me in a very short
time. Go up into my room, and under the bed you will find a compass;
bring it down carefully, and I'll give you a lesson at once." I brought
the compass to him, and Bramble made me write down the whole thirty-two
points at full length upon a piece of paper. When I had done so, he told
me I must learn them by heart as fast as I could.

I studied them the whole of that day; and in the evening, finding myself
perfect, I went up to Bramble and repeated them without one mistake.

"All's right," said Bramble. "Now, Tom, give me the paper; if you know
them to-night you ought to know them to-morrow morning. I'll hear if you
do, after breakfast."

I went to bed, was tapped up as before by Bessy, assisted her to clean
everything, taking off her hands all the heaviest of the work; indeed,
what I have narrated of the first day may be taken as a sample of my
life on shore at Deal. After breakfast I repeated the points of the
compass correctly.

"Well, Tom, you have a good memory, that's certain; all the better for
you, for pilots carry everything in their heads, as you will fin