man. The sloop,
the letter went on to say, was commissioned for service on the west
coast of Africa; and if I decided to join her no time should be lost in
procuring my outfit, as the _Daphne_ was under orders to sail on the --;
just four days from the date of the receipt of the letter.

"Well, Dick, what do you think of Captain Vernon's proposal?" inquired
my father somewhat sadly, as I concluded my perusal of the letter and
raised my eyes to his.

"Oh, father!" I exclaimed eagerly, "I _hope_ you will consent to let me
go. Perhaps I may never have another such an opportunity; and I am
_quite sure_ I shall never care to be anything but a sailor."

"Ah! yes--the old, old story," murmured my father, shaking his head
dubiously. "Thousands of lads have told their fathers exactly the same
thing, and have lived to bitterly regret their choice of a profession.
Look at my life. I have to run about in all weathers; to take my meals
when and how I can; there is not a single hour in the twenty-four that I
can call my own; it is a rare thing for me to get a night of undisturbed
rest; it is a hard, anxious, harassing life that I lead--you have often
said so yourself, and urged it as one of the reasons why you object to
follow in my footsteps. But I tell you, Dick, that my life--ay, or the
life even of the poorest country practitioner, for that matter--is one
of ease and luxury compared with that of a sailor. But I have said all
this to you over and over again, without convincing you; and I hardly
dare hope that I shall be more successful now; so, if you are really
quite resolved to go to sea, I will offer no further objections. It is
true that you will be going to an unhealthy climate; but God is just as
well able to preserve you there as He is here; and then, again, you have
a strong healthy constitution, which, fortified with such preservative
medicines as I can supply, will, I hope, enable you to withstand the
malaria and to return to us in safety. Now, what do you say--are you
still resolved to go?"

"Quite," I replied emphatically. "Now that you have given your consent
the last obstacle is removed, and I can follow with a light heart the
bent of my own inclinations."

"Very well, then," said my father, rising from the table and pushing
back his chair. "That question being settled, we had better call upon
Mr Shears forthwith and give the order for your uniform and outfit.
There is no time to lose; and since go yo