had discovered him, and informed where he usually harboured; but he was aware it seems, and had secured himself, at least for that time. So we were allowed to return to our warm apartment among the coal-ashes, where I slept many a cold winter night; nay, I may say, many a winter, as sound, and as comfortably as ever I did since, though in better lodgings.
In this manner of living we went on a good while, I believe two years, and neither did, or meant any harm. We generally went all three together; for, in short, the captain, for want of address, and for something disagreeable in him, would have starved if we had not kept hira with us. As we were always together, we were generally known by the name of the three Jacks; but colonel Jack had always the preference, upon many accounts. The major, as I have said, was merry and pleasant, but the colonel always held talk with the better sort, I mean the better sort of those that would converse with a beggar boy. In this way of talk, I was always upon the inquiry, asking questions of things done in public as well as in private; particularly, I loved to talk with seamen and soldiers about the war, and about the great sea-fights, or battles on shore, that any of them had been in; and, as I never forgot any thing they told me, I could soon, that is to say in a few years, give almost
