settled; I shall know shortly, I hope."

"What, are we all three going? how capital! What fun we will have,"
cried Jack. "Of course they'll let you. Oh, hang it, you must go with
us." Murray seldom talked much of what he wished to do, or expressed
his feelings, except perhaps to a trusted friend like Jack, but of the
three companions he had probably the strongest will, and when he had set
his mind on an object, no one could exert himself more resolutely to
accomplish it. He wrote and wrote to his friends, expressing his wish
in as strong terms as he could, giving many excellent reasons for having
formed it. Before many weeks had passed, Murray received a letter. The
contents would have made Jack and Terence throw up their caps and shout,
had they under similar circumstances received it. He felt a choking
sensation, and the tears sprang to his eyes. All his long-cherished
hopes were about to be accomplished. He had the promise from the First
Lord of the Admiralty of an appointment speedily to a ship. The half
came to an end, the school broke up, and the boys separated with all
animosities and quarrels sunk in oblivion; and in the belief that they
should meet each other again soon, if not at school, somewhere or other.
Jack went home, and was then sent, by the advice of his naval friend,
to an academy at Portsmouth, where young gentlemen were prepared for the
navy. Jack wanted to become a real sailor, so he set to work manfully
to stow away all the navigation he could pick up. He soon also made
himself known and respected among his companions, much in the same way
that he had done at his old school. At last he heard that he was
appointed to a ship, but that he was to go home before joining to take
leave. He was first to go to Selby the tailor, to get measured for his
outfit.

"You'll like to have your uniform at once, sir," observed Mr Selby;
"most young gentlemen do." Jack thought it would be very nice, as his
best clothes were already shabby; so in an incredibly short space of
time he found himself exactly fitted in his naval habiliments with a
dirk by his side, and a gold-lace cap. He did not like to wear them in
the street, "lest he should appear conspicuous," he observed to a
schoolfellow, so he did not put them on till he was ready to start in
the morning by the coach up to London. He had got leave to go down to
Eagle House to visit his former master and old schoolfellows, and how
grand he looked