At age 10, Ian was based with the Grade 6 students but was allowed to take maths with Grade 10 – a four-year grade advancement.

Pendennis the elder, who like a real man of the world had a proper and constant dread of the opinion of his neighbour, was prodigiously annoyed by the absurd little tempest which was blowing in Chatteris, and tossing about Master Pen’s reputation.

Let me toss off this beer first.

The workday began at first light and continued until evening twilight. The men first stored their hammocks, then went about sweeping and swabbing down the decks. Breakfast was timed so as to feed the ongoing watch and then the offcoming watch.