"
"Yes, sir; and by and by we shall have it for days together."
"Ready," said Mrs. Seagrave, "if you are not too tired, perhaps you
will go on with your history."
"Certainly, ma'am, if you wish it," replied Ready. "When I left off, I
was on board of the collier, bound to London. We had a very fair wind,
and a quick passage. I was very sick until we arrived in the Nore, and
then I recovered, and, as you may suppose, was astonished at the busy
scene, and the quantity of vessels which were going up and down the
river. But I did not like my captain; he was very severe and brutal to
the men; and the apprentice who was on board told me to run away, and
get into another vessel, and not to bind myself apprentice to this
captain, or I should be beat all day long, and be treated as bad as he
was. I knew this was the case, as the captain kicked and cuffed him
twenty times a day. The men said that he did not do so to me, for fear
I should refuse to be his apprentice; but that, as soon as my
indentures were signed, he would treat me in the same way.
"Well, I made up my mind that I would not remain in the collier; and,
as the captain had gone on shore, I had plenty of time to look about
me.
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