n honest, pleasant face,
and though he was short, he stood very erect and always held his head
very high.

"I cannot afford to lose any of my inches," he always said.

One day he was introduced to the Secretary of the Navy, who after
asking him many questions, was so delighted with the boy's quick
answers that he patted him on the head, saying:

"My boy, when you are ten years old, I shall make you a midshipman in
the navy."

That promise seemed too good to be true to young Farragut, who was then
nine and a half years old, but the Secretary of the Navy did not forget
it but kept his word, and the appointment came promptly, putting the
boy in a seventh heaven of anticipation. Then the arrangement was made
that he was to go with Capt. Porter, and on that October day of 1812
when the _Essex_ sailed out of the Delaware river, the young midshipman
stood in all his proud splendour of uniform beside the Captain who was
already his ideal of a naval hero.

For several months the _Essex_ cruised about in the Atlantic, during
which time Captain Porter was able to capture some English vessels,
among them the _Alert_, and the _Essex_ was crowded with prisoners
taken from the prize ships.

One night when young Farragut lay apparently asleep, but in reality
listening and watching, the coxswain of the _Alert_ came to his hammock
with a pistol in hand. Farragut scarcely breathed until he had passed
by, then noiselessly the young midshipman crept to the cabin where
Captain Porter was, aroused him and told him what he had seen. The
Captain sprang from his cot, crying "Fire! Fire!" The sailors rushed on
deck at the cry, and the rebels were in irons almost before they knew
what had happened, while to young Farragut belonged the credit of
having averted a mutiny.

Months passed, and still Captain Porter had not been able to find the
American squadron, so he decided to make a trip around Cape Horn, and
cruise about on the Pacific, which decision pleased young Farragut, as
he was eager for an experience of real sea life. And he certainly had
it. The weather was bitterly cold, and for twenty-one days the ship was
lashed by terrific gales, by the end of which time the provisions were
almost gone, and each man had only a small daily allowance of bread and
water, which was not a light experience, with appetites whetted by salt
air and hard work. After rounding the cape, Captain Porter sailed north
along the west coast of South America and