sition, naturally gay, and inclined to find amusement in every
thing--cheerful as the lark, and singing from morning to night. Her
disposition, owing to Mrs. Campbell's care and attention, was equally
amiable as her sister's, and her high spirits seldom betrayed her into
indiscretion. She was the life of the family when Alfred was away: he
only was her equal in high spirits.

Percival, the third boy, was now twelve years old; he was a quiet,
clever lad, very obedient and very attentive to what was told him, very
fond of obtaining information, being naturally very inquisitive.

John, the fourth boy, was ten years old--a sturdy, John Bull sort of a
boy, not very fond of learning, but a well-disposed boy in most things.
He preferred any thing to his book; at the same time, he was obedient,
and tried to keep up his attention as well as he could, which was all
that could be expected from a boy of his age. He was very slow in every
thing, very quiet, and seldom spoke unless first spoken to. He was not
silly, although many people would have thought him so, but he certainly
was a very strange boy, and it was difficult to say what he would turn
out.

I have now described the family as they appeared at the time that they
embarked on board of the London Merchant; and have only to add, that on
the third day after their embarkation, they made sail with a fair wind,
and ran down the Irish Channel.

The London Merchant sailed for Cork, where the North American convoy
were to assemble. At the time we speak of, the war had recommenced
between this country and the French, who were suffering all the horrors
of the Revolution. On their arrival at Cork, our party recovered a
little from the sea-sickness to which all are subject on their first
embarkation. They found themselves at anchor with more than a hundred
merchant vessels, among which were to be perceived the lofty masts and
spars of a large fifty-gun ship, and two small frigates, which were
appointed to convoy them to their destination.

The rest of the party, still suffering, soon went down below again, but
Alfred remained on deck leaning against the bulwarks of the vessel, his
eyes and his thoughts intently fixed upon the streaming pennants of the
men-of-war, and a tear rolled down his cheek, as he was reminded that he
no longer could follow up his favorite profession. The sacrifice he had
made to his family was indeed great. He had talked lightly of it before
them, not wishin