n 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 favourite profession. The sacrifice that
he had made to his family was indeed great. He had talked lightly of it
before them, not wishing them to believe that it was so. He had not
told his father that he had passed his examination for lieutenant before
he had been paid off at Portsmouth; and that his captain, who was very
partial to him, had promised that he should soon be advanced in the
service. He had not told them that all his wishes, all his daily hopes,
the most anxious desire of his existence, which was to become a
post-captain, and in command of a fine frigate, were blighted by this
sacrifice he had made for them and their comfort. He had concealed all
this, and assumed a mirth, which he did not feel; but now that he was
alone, and the pennant was once more presented to his view, his regrets
could not be controlled. He sighed deeply, and turning away with his
arms folded, said to himself, "I have done my duty. It is hard, after
having served so long, and now just arrived at the time in which I have
reason to expect my reward--to rise in the service--distinguish myself
by my zeal, and obtain a reputation, which, if it pleased God, I would
have done very hard, to have to leave it now, and to be hid in the
woods, with an axe in my hand; but how could I leave my father, my
mother, and my brothers and sisters, to encounter so much difficulty and
privation by themselves, when I have a strong arm to help them. No,
no!--I have done my duty to those who ever did their duty to me, and I
trust that my own conscience will prove my reward, and check that
repining which we are too apt to feel when it pleases Heaven to blight,
what appear to be, our fairest prospects... I say, my good fellow,"
said Alfred, after a while, to a man in a boat, "what is the name of
that fifty-gun ship?"

"I don't know which ship has fifty guns, or which has a hundred;"
replied the Irishman, "but if you mean the biggest, she is called the
_Portsmouth_."

"The _Portsmouth_! the very ship Captain Lumley was appointed to," cried
Alfred. "I must go on board."

Alfred ran down to the cabin, and requested the captain of the
transport, whose name was Wilson, to allow him the small