agship,
which was slowly swinging round nearer us on the bosom of the stream,
thus showing that the ebb was setting in, or, rather, out.

"You owdacious young monkey!" he cried, slewing his head round on his
shoulders, even as the old _Victory's_ hull slewed with the tide, so
that he could look me full in the face. "So, my joker, that's the
little rig you're a-tryin' to try on with me, Master Tommy, is it?"

"It ain't no rig, father," said I sturdily, sticking to my guns, now
that the cat was out of the bag. "I can't see why you won't let me go
to sea. I'm sure I've asked you often enough."

"Aye; and I'm sure I've had to refuse you jest as often."

"Why, father?"

"For your own good, sonny."

"I can't see it, father," I rejoined. "Look at them _Saint Vincent_
boys in that cutter a-crossing our bows now. How jolly they all seems
working at their proper calling, just as I'd like to be!"

"Aye, mebbe," said father, in his sententious way, cocking his eye as
the cutter sped on its way towards the training-ship. "But jest you
look at me, Tom, and see what forty years' sailorin', man and boy, have
done for one o' the same kidney as them boys, jolly though they seems
now. Poor young beggars, they all has their troubles afore 'em!"

"Most of us have our troubles, father," I replied to this bit of moral
philosophy of his, speaking just in his own manner. "So our old parson
said on Sunday last, when mother and Jenny and I went to church. We are
all bound to have them, he said, whether on sea or on land; and I can't
say as how a sailor has the worst chance."

"Ship my rullocks, Tom, can't ye? Jest you look at me!"

"Why, father?" I asked. "What's the use of that?"

"None o' your imporence, Master Tommy; jest you look at me!"

"All right, father," said I. "I am a-looking at you now!"

"Very good, Tom--one dog one bone! Well, what d'ye see?"

"I see a brave sailor and a gallant defender of his country," I
answered, giving the bow oar I was pulling a vicious dig into the water
as I spoke, like as if I were tackling one of the Queen's enemies; "I
see a man who has got no cause to be ashamed of his past life, though he
might be getting on in years--you are that, father, you know; and one
who has won his medal with four clasps for hard fighting. In real wars,
mind you, not your twopenny ha'penny Bombardment of Alexandria
business!--aye, I see one who ought to wear the Victoria Cross if he had
his rights.