favorite, probably because he bore the family
name and inherited some independent property, Mr. Willcoxen would,
however, have afforded a more liberal and gentlemanly education, could
he have done so and at the same time decently withheld from going to
some expense in giving his penniless grandson, Cloudy, the same
privilege. As it was, he sought to veil his parsimony by conservative
principle.

It was a great humiliation to the boys to see that, while all the youths
of their own rank and neighborhood were entered pensioners at the local
college, they two alone were taken from the little day-school to be put
to agricultural labor--a thing unprecedented in that locality at that
time.

When this matter was brought to the knowledge of Commodore Waugh, as he
strode up and down his hall, the indignant old sailor thumped his heavy
stick upon the ground, thrust forward his great head, and swore
furiously by the whole Pandemonial Hierarchy that his grandnephews
should not be brought up like clodhoppers.

And straightway he ordered his carriage, threw himself into it, and rode
over to Charlotte Hall, where he entered the name of his two young
relatives as pensioners at his own proper cost.

This done, he ordered his coachman to take the road to Dell-Delight,
where he had an interview with Mr. Willcoxen.

And as he met little opposition from the old man, who seemed to think
that it was no more than fair that the boys' uncle should share the
expense of educating them, he sought out the youths, whom he found in
the field, and bade them leave the plough, and go and prepare themselves
to go to C---- and get educated, as befitted the grandnephews of a
gentleman!

The lads were at that time far too simple-minded and too clannish to
feel their pride piqued at this offer, or to take offense at the rude
manner in which it was made. Commodore Waugh was their grand-uncle, and
therefore had a right to educate them, and to be short with them, too,
if he pleased. That was the way in which they both looked at the matter.
And very much delighted and very grateful they were for the opening for
education thus made for them.

And very zealously they entered upon their academical studies. They
boarded at the college and roomed together. But their vacations were
spent apart, Thurston spending his at Dell-Delight, and Cloudy his at
Luckenough.

When the academical course was completed, Commodore Waugh, as has been
seen, was at some pains to