ever seen � in the stern of the vessel with a little window where the used to go through a little looking glass the right height for me nailed against the wall and framed with shells a little bed which there was just room enough to get into and a of in a blue on the table the walls were as white as milk and the made my eyes quite ache with its brightness one thing i particularly noticed in this delightful house was the smell of fish which was so searching that when i took out my pocket handkerchief to wipe my nose i found it smelt exactly as if it had wrapped up a on my this discovery in confidence to she informed me that her brother dealt in and and i afterwards found that a heap of these creatures in a state of wonderful with one another and never leaving off whatever they laid hold of were usually to be found in a little wooden where the pots and were kept we were welcomed by a very civil woman in a white apron whom i had seen at the door when i was on ham s back about a quarter of a mile off likewise by a most beautiful little girl or i thought her so with a of blue beads on who wouldn t let me kiss her when i offered to but ran away and hid herself by and by when we had dined in a manner off boiled melted butter and potatoes with a chop for me a hairy man with a very good natured face came home as he called and gave her a hearty on the cheek i had no doubt from the general propriety of her conduct that he was her brother and so he turned out � being presently introduced to me as mr the master of the house glad to see you sir said mr you ll find us rough sir but you ll find us ready i thanked him and replied that i was sure i should be happy in such a delightful place how s your ma sir said mr did you leave her pretty jolly the personal history and experience i gave mr to understand that she was as jolly as i could wish and that she desired her compliments � which was a polite fiction on my part i m much to her i m sure said mr well sir if you can make out here fur a long wi her nodding at his sister and ham and little em ly we shall be proud of your company having done the honors of his house in this hospitable manner mr went out to wash himself in a of hot water remarking that cold would never get ms off he soon returned greatly improved in appearance but so that i couldn t help thinking his face had this in common with the and � that it went into the hot water very black and came out very red after tea when the door was shut and all was made snug the nights being cold and misty now it seemed to me the most delicious retreat that the imagination of man could conceive to hear the wind getting up out at sea to know that the fog was creeping over the desolate flat outside and to look at the fire and think that there was no house near but this one and this one a boat was like enchantment little em ly had overcome her shyness and was sitting by my side upon the lowest and least of the which was just large enough for us two and just fitted into the chimney corner mrs with the white apron was knitting on the opposite side of the fire at her needle work was as much at home with saint paul s and the bit of wax candle as if they had never known any other roof ham who had been giving me my first lesson in all was trying to recollect a scheme of telling fortunes with the dirty cards and was off impressions of his thumb on all the cards he turned mr was smoking his pipe i felt it was a time for conversation and confidence mr says i sir says he did you give your son the name of ham because you lived in a sort of ark mr seemed to think it a deep idea but answered no sir i never him no name who gave him that name then said i putting question number two of the to mr why sir his father it him said mr i thought you were his father my brother joe was ms father said mr dead mi i hinted after a respectful pause said mr i was very much surprised that mr was not ham s father and began to wonder whether i was mistaken about his relationship to anybody else there i was so curious to know that i made up my mind to have it out with mr little em ly i said glancing at her she is your daughter isn t she mr no sir my brother in law tom was her father of david i couldn t help it � dead mr i hinted after another respectful silence said mr i felt the difficulty of the subject but had not got to the bottom of it yet and must get to the bottom somehow so i t you any children mr no master he answered with a short laugh i ma a bachelor i said astonished why who s that mr pointing to the person in the apron who was knitting that s said mr mr but at this point � i mean my own peculiar � made such impressive motions to me not to ask any more questions that i could only sit and look at all the silent company until 