undo it if I could. As this was not possible,
however, I bethought me that the next best thing would be to do as much
good as I could to the class that I had damaged, so, when I came home
and left the sea for good, I used to go down about the docks and give
away Bibles and Testaments to the sailors. Then I got to say a word or
two to 'em now and then about their souls but I soon found that there
are professed unbelievers among the tars, an' they put questions that
puzzled me at times, so I took to readin' the Bible with a view to
answering objectors an' bein' able to give a reason of the hope that is
in me--to studyin', in fact, what I call theology. But I ain't above
takin' help," continued the captain with a modest look, "from ordinary
good books when I come across 'em--my chief difficulty bein', to find
out what are the best books to consult, and this has led me sometimes to
think of buyin' up all the theological books I can lay hands on, an'
glancin' 'em all through so as to make notes of such as seemed worth
readin' with care. The labour however seems so great, that up to now
I've bin kept back, but I've had a talk with a friend to-day which has
decided me, so I'll go off to Yarmouth to-morrow an' buy a whole lot o'
theological books--a regular library in fact--and set to work to read
up. But there's one thing I would like, which would save me an enormous
amount o' labour, if I could get it."

"What is that?" asked the sisters, eagerly, and in the same breath, for
they had become quite interested in their friend's aspirations.

"I would like," said the captain, slowly, and fixing his eyes on his
plate, for he was now beginning to scheme, "I would like to find some
one--a clever boy perhaps, though a girl would be preferable--who would
take the trouble off my hands of glancin' through the books first, an'
makin' notes of their contents for me, so as to prevent my wastin' time
on those that are worthless."

"I fear," said Jessie, "that few boys or girls would be capable of such
work, for it would require not only intelligence but a considerable
amount of scriptural knowledge."

The captain heaved a deep sigh. "Yes," he said, shaking his head
slowly, "you're right, and I'm afraid I'll have to get some grown-up
person to help me, but that won't be easy. And then, d'ee know, I don't
feel as if I could git on in such investigations with a stranger."

"What a pity," said Kate, "that you could not bring the book