, bye-and-bye, after awhile, as soon as I am old enough and have
sufficient experience, I hope to command a ship of my own."

He had shown such sympathy towards me, that I couldn't help telling him
all the wild dreams about my future which had been filling my mind for
the last two years, although I had not confided them even to Tom, for I
thought he would make fun of my nautical ambition.

Instead of laughing at me, however, my new friend looked highly
delighted.

"I'm blessed if you aren't a reg'ler chip of the old block," he said
admiringly, gazing into my face with a broad smile on his weather-beaten
countenance, that made it for the moment in my eyes positively handsome.
"There spoke my old lieutenant, the same as I can fancy I hear him now,
the morning we rowed up the Niger to assault the nigger stockade where
he met his death. `Pengelly,' sez he, in the same identical way as you
first said them words o' yourn, `I mean to take that prah,' and, take it
he did, though the poor fellow lost his life leading us on to the
assault! I can see, very plain, you've got it all in you, the same as
he; and, having been a seafaring man all my life, first in the sarvice,
and then on my own hook in a small way in the coasting line, in course I
honours your sentiments in wishing to be a sailor--though it's a hard
life at the best. Howsomedevers, `what's bred in the bone,' as the
proverb says, `must come out in the flesh,' and if you will go to sea,
why, you must, and I'll try to help you on to what you wish, as far as
Sam Pengelly can; I can't say more nor that, can I?"

"No, certainly not, and I'm much obliged to you," I answered; for he
made a pause at this point, as if waiting for my reply.

"Well, then, that's all settled and entered in the log-book fair and
square; but, as all this can't be managed in a minute, and there'll be a
lot of arrangements to make, s'pose as how you come home along o' me
first? I'm an orphan, too, the same as yourself, with nobody left to
care for or to mind me, save my old sister Jane, who keeps house for me;
and she and I'll make you as welcome as the flowers in May!"

I demurred for a moment at accepting this kind proposal, for I was
naturally of a very independent nature; and, besides, the lessons I had
received in my uncle's household made me shrink from incurring the
obligation of any one's hospitality, especially that of one with whom I
had only such brief acquaintanceship, albeit he wa