rget to be hungry, Peter," said Frank, laughing. "But now
you are like the old Lord Buchan, who used to say he could cook his
porridge in his helmet, and stir it with his broad-sword."

"I hope," said Major Graham, "you both intend to become very
distinguished officers, and to leave a name at which the world grows
pale."

"Certainly," answered Peter. "All the old heroes we read of shall be
mere nobodies compared to me! I mean to lose a leg or an arm in every
battle,"----

"Till nothing is left of you but your shirt-collar and shoe-strings,"
interrupted Frank, laughing.

"No! No! What remains of me at last shall die a Peer of the realm,"
continued Peter. "We must climb to the top of the tree, Frank! What
title do you think I should take?"

"Lord Cockpit would suit you best for some time, Peter! It will not be
so easy a business to rise as you think. Every one can run a race, but
very few can win," observed Major Graham. "The rarest thing on earth is
to succeed in being both conspicuous and respectable. Any dunce may
easily be either the one or the other, but the chief puzzle with most
men is, how to be both. In your profession there are great
opportunities, but at the same time let me warn you, that the sea is not
a bed of roses."

"No, uncle David! but I hope it will become a field of laurels to us,"
replied Frank, laughing. "Now tell me in real earnest who you think was
the greatest of our naval heroes till now, when Peter is to cut them all
out."

"He must wait a few years. It is a long ladder to run up before reaching
the top. In France, the king's sons are all born Field Marshals, but
nobody in this country is born an Admiral. The great Lord Duncan served
during half-a-century before gaining his most important victory, but
previous to that, he paved the way to success, not by mere animal
courage alone, but by being so truly good and religious a man, that his
extraordinary firmness and benevolence of character gained the
confidence and respect of all those who served with him, and therefore
half his success in battle was owing to his admirable conduct during
peace."

"So I have heard!" replied Frank; "and when there was mutiny in every
other ship, the Admiral's own crew remained faithful to him. How much
better it is to be obeyed from respect and attachment than from fear,
which is a mean feeling that I hope neither to feel myself, nor to
excite in others. I wish to be like Nelson, who asked, 'What is fear