o do so, but I was as little likely to make fifty pounds as I
was to make fifty thousand. Aunt Deb also reminded my father that it
was not fifty pounds a year for one year, but fifty pounds for several
years, which he might set down as three hundred pounds, at least, of
which, through my foolish fancy, I should be depriving him, and my
mother, and brothers, and sisters.

There was no denying that, so I felt that I was defeated. I had at
length to go to bed, feeling as disappointed and miserable as I had ever
been in my life. To Ned, the brother just above me in age, who slept in
the same room, I opened my heart.

"I am the most miserable being in the world!" I exclaimed. "I wish
that I had never been born. If it had not been for Aunt Deb father
would have given in, but she hates me, I know, and always has hated me,
and takes a pleasure in thwarting my wishes. I've a great mind to run
off to sea, and enter before the mast just to spite her."

Ned, who was a quiet, amiable fellow, taking much after our kind mother,
endeavoured to tranquillise my irritated feelings.

"Don't talk in that way, Dick," he said in a gentle tone. "You might
get tired of the life, even if you were to go into the navy; but,
perhaps, means may be found, after all, to enable you to follow the bent
of your wishes. All naval captains may not insist on their midshipmen
having an allowance of fifty pounds a year; or, perhaps, if they do,
some friend may find the necessary funds."

"I haven't a friend in the world," I answered. "If my father cannot
give me the money I don't know who can. I know that Aunt Deb would not,
even if she could."

"Cheer up, Dick," said Ned; "or rather I would advise you to go to
sleep. Perhaps to-morrow morning some bright idea may occur which we
can't think of at present. I've got my lessons to do before breakfast,
so I must not stop awake talking, or I shall not be able to arouse
myself."

I had begun taking off my clothes, and Ned waited until he saw me lie
down, when he put out the candle, and jumped into bed. I continued
talking till a loud snore from his corner of the room showed me that he
was fast asleep. I soon followed his example, but my mind was not idle,
for I dreamed that I had gone to sea, become a midshipman, and was
sailing over the blue ocean with a fair breeze, that the captain was
talking to me and telling me what a fine young sailor I had become, and
that he had invited me to breakfas