not dreamed that the course would be so
thorough, nor that it would require such an incessant grind, but he
never let up. By the end of the second year he was regarded as one of
the most promising men in his class, and he had made several substantial
friendships with his classmates. The Academy had none of the "prize"
incentives of many colleges. A cadet had to work for all that he was
worth just to pass. There were no half-way measures. Either a cadet
passed or he failed. It wasn't healthy to fail. By the end of his second
year Eric was well up in his class. He had qualified as a corporal in
the military drills, he had secured the coveted honor of gunner's mate,
and he was even looked upon with favor by "Tattoo Tim," alias Boatswain
Egan of the _Itasca_.

Eric never forgot the first day when he was allowed to con a ship. It
was right at the beginning of his third cruise. He had put a gun crew
through its drill, under the eye of the officer, and felt that he had
acquitted himself creditably.

"Mr. Swift," said the first lieutenant to him, "put the ship's position
on the chart."

Eric saluted and withdrew. A few minutes later, returning to the
executive officer, he answered:

"Forty-one degrees ten minutes north; seventy-one degrees twenty-two
minutes west, sir."

"Very good: Lay off a course from this point to a point ten miles north
by west from Cape Race light."

In less than ten minutes Eric was back with a diagram of the course,
which the officer inspected thoroughly.

"You may steer the course," he said.

Eric's nerves were in good control, but he had a jumpy feeling when he
realized that he was actually in charge. Once, and only once, he got a
little panicky, and, turning to the officer on the bridge, said:

"Should I keep her out a bit, sir?"

"You are steering the course," was the officer's reply. It was all up to
the boy.

"Make it nor'west by west half west," Eric said a little tremulously to
the helmsman, as they came in sight of Sankaty Head on Nantucket Island.

"Nor'west by west half west, sir," the helmsman repeated, porting his
helm a trifle.

After the ship had proceeded a certain distance, the lieutenant called
another of the first-class men on the bridge and he took his turn. At
the end of the trip the officer summoned the class.

"Mr. Swift," he queried, "why did you not take the Muskeget Channel?"

Eric colored.

"I hadn't remembered exactly, sir," he explained, "the depths of t