That gave me hope, "for of course," thought I, "he must be rich." His nose, which was exactly the colour and shape of the gold knob on his cane, was stuck in the centre of a round, good-natured countenance, the mouth of which was large and firm; the eyes bright and blue.

He frowned as I went forward hat in hand; but I was not to be driven back; the thought of my starving mother gave me power to crush down my rising shame.

Yet I had no reason to be ashamed.

I was willing to work, if only I could have got employment.
Stopping in front of the old gentleman, I was about to speak when I observed him quietly button up his breeches pocket.

The blood rushed to my face, and, turning quickly on my heel, I walked away without uttering a word.
"Hallo!" shouted a gruff voice just as I was moving away.
I turned, and observed that the shout was uttered by a broad rough-looking jack-tar, a man of about two or three and thirty, who had been sitting all the forenoon on an old cask smoking his pipe and basking in the sun.
"Hallo!" said he again.
"Well," said I.
"Wot d'ye mean, youngster, by goin' on in that there fashion all the mornin', a-botherin' everybody, and makin' a fool o' yourself like that?
eh!" "What's that to you ?" said I savagely, for my heart was sore and heavy, and I could not stand the interference of a stranger.
"Oh! it's nothin' to me of course," said the sailor, picking his pipe quietly with his clasp-knife; "but come here, boy, I've somethin' to say to ye." "Well, what is it ?" said I, going up to him somewhat sulkily.
The man looked at me gravely through the smoke of his pipe, and said, "You're in a passion, my young buck, that's all; and, in case you didn't know it, I thought I'd tell ye." I burst into a fit of laughter.