his credentials, was
favourably received; with an intimation that his company was required as
soon as convenient. Newton had now no other object to occupy him than
to secure an asylum for his father; and this he was fortunate enough to
meet with when he little expected. He had disembarked at Greenwich,
intending to return to London by the coach, when having an hour to
spare, he sauntered into the hospital, to view a building which had so
much of interest to a sailor. After a few minutes' survey, he sat down
on a bench, occupied by several pensioners, outside of the gate, wishing
to enter into conversation with them relative to their condition, when
one addressed the other--"Why, Stephen, since the old man's dead,
there's no one that'll suit us; and I expects that we must contrive to
do without blinkers at all. Jim Nelson told me the other day, that the
fellow in town as has his shop full of polished brass, all the world
like the quarter-deck of the Le Amphitrite, when that sucking Honourable
(what was his name?) commanded her--Jim said to me, as how he charged
him one-and-sixpence for a new piece of flint for his starboard eye.
Now you know that old Wilkins never axed no more than threepence. Now,
how we're to pay at that rate, comes to more than my knowledge. Jim
hadn't the dirt, although he had brought his threepence; so his blinkers
are left there in limbo."

"We must find out another man: the shop's to let, and all handy.
Suppose we speak to the governor?"

"No use to speak to the governor; he don't use blinkers; and so won't
have no fellow feeling."

Newton entered into conversation, and found that an old man, who gained
his livelihood in a small shop close to the gate, by repairing the
spectacles of the pensioners, had lately died, and that his loss was
severely felt by them, as the opticians in town did not work at so
reasonable a rate. Newton looked at the shop, which was small and
comfortable, commanding a pleasant view of the river, and he was
immediately convinced that it would suit his father. On his return, he
proposed it to Nicholas, who was delighted at the idea; and the next day
they viewed the premises together, and took a short lease. In a few
days Nicholas was settled in his new habitation, and busily employed in
enabling the old pensioners to read the newspapers and count their
points at cribbage. He liked his customers, and they liked him. His
gains were equal to his wants; and, unless