They put a bright slave-boy with a tradesman, until he gets such a knowledge of the trade as to be able to do his own work, and then he takes him home.

I remained with the stonemason until I was eleven years of age: at this time I was taken home.

This was another serious period in my childhood; I was separated from my older brother, to whom I was much attached; he continued at his place, and not only learned the trade to great perfection, but finally became the property of the man with whom he lived, so that our separation was permanent, as we never lived nearer after, than six miles.

My master owned an excellent blacksmith, who had obtained his trade in the way I have mentioned above.

When I returned home at the age of eleven, I was set about assisting to do the mason-work of a new smith's shop.