uniform like him for the first time. Ah me,
thirty years and more have passed since then; and I'm an old fogey,
while he's just beginning life! I hope, my dear Jack, you'll never do
anything to make you ashamed of having put on the Queen's livery!"

"That I won't, Dad," said I emphatically; and I meant it! "I'll try to
follow your example, and always recollect I am your son."

"You cannot do better, my dear Jack," said mother, putting one of her
arms round my neck caressingly, and stretching out her other hand to
take Dad's. "Your father was always known in the service as a gallant
officer and an honourable gentleman; and if you follow his example, my
boy, you will neither disgrace the name you bear nor do discredit to Her
Majesty's uniform! I look forwards, Jack, to your being a credit, not
only to us, but to your country and profession!"

I uttered no reply to my mother's little speech, though it made a deep
impression on me, for she was seldom given to expressing herself at such
length, her words being generally few and to the point; but, I formed
there and then a resolve, which I have endeavoured to adhere to all my
life, that I would never do anything to make her ashamed of me, nor
cause pain to her and Dad, the latter of whom remained silent like
myself.

He was thinking, I felt sure, of the approaching parting between us,
when I should be beyond his care and only have to trust to the training
he had given me.

He knew, however, that I would still be under the watchful eye of
another Father, who guards and guides the sailor afloat amidst the
stormy waters of the deep as well as the landsman ashore, and whose love
and forethought are more to be trusted even than that of our earthly
parents, prize us as dearly as they will.

On the following morning, to make a long story short, I bade adieu to
Dad and mother, both of them accompanying me to the landing steps at the
foot of Hardway to see me off in the waterman's wherry that Dad hailed
for the conveyance of myself and sea-chest to the _Illustrious_.

She was lying in the stream near the mouth of the harbour, as I
mentioned I believe before when speaking of my first view of Portsmouth;
and as the tide was then at the ebb and running out fast, we were very
soon alongside the training-ship, whose huge, black hull glistened in
the bright sunshine.

There was a little chap standing by the marine sentry at the entry port
on the main deck, where I noticed as