be part and
portion of one of the grandest machines that ever were perfected--the
upholder of our national honour, the defender of British hearths and
homes, and the protector of tender women and helpless babies.

We man-o'-war sailors, and ye soldiers, carry on war, it is true, and we
hit just as hard as we know how to--and war is a fearful game at the
best; but, dear civilians, do not forget that we constitute the only
institutions that can render peace possible, and your homes happy and
safe, machines though we be.

But how would it be if strict, unthinking, unhesitating obedience were
not exacted from every man and officer in the service to the commands of
his superior officers? Why, on the day of battle the army or navy would
be a mere squabbling mob, worse even than the British Parliament.

I may mention here that it was his cheerful obedience to orders, his
good-natured smiling alacrity--minus officiousness, mind you--his
unselfishness and his bravery, that gained for Jack Mackenzie the proud
position he now held.

Young men who mean to enter the service should read that last sentence
of mine over again, ay, even get it by heart.

I digress, you say? So I do.

Well, I was saying that the _Tonneraire_ was a happy ship. All the
officers, both junior and senior, agreed. The chief lights of the senior
mess were Tom Fairlie, always good-humoured and cheerful; honest
M'Hearty, rough and genial; young Murray, the boy marine officer, merry
and innocent; and Simmons the master, who _would_ have his growl, who
was all thunder without the lightning, but a very excellent old fellow,
when young Murray didn't tease him _too_ much. Between M'Hearty,
Fairlie, Murray, and Jack himself a strange sort of a compact was made.
It was Murray who proposed it one lovely moonlight night, when the four
were together on the poop. Young Murray had cheek enough for anything.
He was the second son of a noble lord, and would himself be a lord one
day--probably. Not that his rank in life made him any the cheekier, but
I suppose it was born in the boy. He cared little or nothing for the
etiquette or punctilios of the service when it suited him not to. For
example, he one day actually linked his arm through that of an admiral
on the quarter-deck. Everybody was aghast; but the good old admiral
merely smiled. He knew boys and liked them.

But that night on the quarter-deck Murray said openly and innocently to
Jack: "I like you, sir--fact, I