CHAPTER VI.
Three Years--Lilly's Grammar--Proficiency--Ignorant of Figures--The School Bell--Order of Succession--Persecution--What are we to do ?--Northward--A Goodly Scene--Haunted Ground--Feats of Chivalry--Rivers--Over the Brig.
Years passed on, even three years; during this period I had increased considerably in stature and in strength, and, let us hope, improved in mind; for I had entered on the study of the Latin language.

The very first person to whose care I was intrusted for the acquisition of Latin was an old friend of my father's, a clergyman who kept a seminary at a town the very next we visited after our departure from "the Cross." Under his instruction, however, I continued only a few weeks, as we speedily left the place.

"Captain," said this divine, when my father came to take leave of him on the eve of our departure, "I have a friendship for you, and therefore wish to give you a piece of advice concerning this son of yours.

You are now removing him from my care; you do wrong, but we will let that pass.

Listen to me: there is but one good school book in the world--the one I use in my seminary--Lilly's Latin Grammar, in which your son has already made some progress.