en I become
one," I answered.

"It seems pretty certain that you will never be a lieutenant or a
midshipman either, if it depends upon your having an allowance of fifty
pounds a year, for where that fifty pounds is to come from I'm sure I
don't know," cried my aunt. "As it is, your poor father finds it a
difficult matter to find food and clothing for you all, and to give you
a proper education, and unless the Bishop should suddenly bestow a rich
living on him, he, at all events, could not pay fifty pounds a year, or
fifty shillings either, so I would advise you forthwith to give up this
mad idea of yours, and stay quietly at school until a profitable
employment is found for you."

I looked up at my father, feeling that there was a good deal of truth in
what Aunt Deb said, although I did not like the way she said it.

"Your aunt only states what is the case, Dick," said my father. "I
should be glad to forward your views, but I could not venture, with my
very limited income, to bind myself to supply you with the sum which Sir
Reginald says is necessary."

"Couldn't you get Sir Reginald to advance the money?" I inquired, as
the bright idea occurred to me; "I will return it to him out of my pay
and prize-money."

Aunt Deb fairly burst out laughing.

"Out of your pay, Dick?" she exclaimed. "Why fifty pounds is required
over and above that pay you talk of, every penny of which you will have
to spend, and supposing that you should not be employed for a time, and
have to live on shore. Do you happen to know what a midshipman's
half-pay is? Why just nothing at all and find yourself. You talk a
good deal of knowing all about the matter, but it's just clear that you
know nothing."

"I wish, my dear Dick, that we could save enough to help you," said my
mother, who was always ready to assist us in any of our plans; "but you
know how difficult I find it to get even a few shillings to spend."

My mother's remark soothed my irritated feelings and disappointment, or
I should have said something which might not have been pleasant to Aunt
Deb's ears.

We continued talking on the subject, I devising all sorts of plans, and
arguing tooth and nail with Aunt Deb, for I had made up my mind to go to
sea, and to go I was determined by hook or by crook; but that fifty
pounds a year was, I confess, a damper to my hopes of becoming a
midshipman.

If I could have set to work and made the fifty pounds, I would have done
my best t