This was probably a good thing for me--a very good thing.

There are things in the Bible which children read without knowing their meaning, and are not harmed by them.

I was harmed by what I saw in the book of life now opened to me, but not so much as one might think.
3 One evening, in a water-front saloon, Captain Sproule and another man--a fellow who was a shipper of freight, as I remember--spent an hour or so with two women whose bad language and painted faces would have told their story to any older person; but to me they were just acquaintances of the captain, and that was all.

After a while the four left the saloon together, and I followed, as I followed the captain everywhere.
"That young one had better be sent to bed," said the captain's friend, pointing to me.
"Better go back to the boat, Jake," said the captain, laughing in a tipsy sort of way.
"I don't know where it is," said I; "it's been towed off somewhere." "That's so," said the captain, "I've got to hunt it up myself--or stay all night in a tavern.

Wal, come along.