urce of pride; then she kissed Flucker, and said, in a tone somewhat
inconsistent with the above, "Tell me, my laamb!"

Her lamb informed her that the sea has many paths; some of them
disgraceful, such as line or net fishing, and the periodical laying
down, on rocky shoals, and taking up again, of lobster-creels; others,
superior to anything the dry land can offer in importance and dignity
and general estimation, such as the command of a merchant vessel trading
to the East or West Indies. Her lamb then suggested that if she would
be so good as to launch him in the merchant-service, with a good rig of
clothes and money in his pocket, there was that in his head which would
enable him to work to windward of most of his contemporaries. He bade
her calculate upon the following results: In a year or two he would be
second mate, and next year first mate, and in a few years more skipper!
Think of that, lass! Skipper of a vessel, whose rig he generously left
his sister free to determine; premising that two masts were, in his
theory of navigation, indispensable, and that three were a great deal
more like Cocker than two. This led to a general consultation; Flucker's
ambition was discussed and praised. That modest young gentleman, in
spite of many injunctions to the contrary, communicated his sister's
plans for him to Lord Ipsden, and affected to doubt their prudence. The
bait took; Lord Ipsden wrote to his man of business, and an unexpected
blow fell upon the ingenious Flucker. He was sent to school; there to
learn a little astronomy, a little navigation, a little seamanship, a
little manners, etc.; in the mysteries of reading and writing his sister
had already perfected him by dint of "the taws." This school was a blow;
but Flucker was no fool; he saw there was no way of getting from school
to sea without working. So he literally worked out to sea. His first
voyage was distinguished by the following peculiarities: Attempts to put
tricks upon this particular novice generally ended in the laugh turning
against the experimenters; and instead of drinking his grog, which he
hates, he secreted it, and sold it for various advantages. He has been
now four voyages. When he comes ashore, instead of going to haunts of
folly and vice, he instantly bears up for his sister's house--Kensington
Gravel-pits--which he makes in the following manner: He goes up the
river--Heaven knows where all--this he calls running down the longitude;
then he land