ou may think hardship without
grumbling. You will find a good many persons above you on board ship
whom you will be bound to obey--your brother Jack among them. Be as
zealous and as ready in obeying him as any one else. Never take offence
from superiors or equals; it is the sign of a weak mind. When spoken to
or even abused, whether you are in the right or the wrong, don't answer
again, and don't be ashamed of expressing regret when anything has gone
wrong. Do your best on all occasions--more you cannot do. There, Tom,
I have given you a pretty long lecture; log it down in your memory, and
act upon it. I repeat--let Duty be your guiding star; do your best for
the good of the service, and don't grumble at your superiors or abuse
your inferiors. These are golden rules well worth remembering, my boy."

"Thank you very much, Admiral Triton; I will try and not forget them,"
answered Tom.

"By-the-bye, you'll not find midshipmen of much 'count on board ship,"
continued the Admiral, with a twinkle in his eye, watching to see how
Tom took his remark. "Not only are they inferior in rank to all the
commissioned officers, but to the three warrant officers who have risen
from before the mast, and even the petty officers and men are inclined
to treat them as nurses do the babies under their charge; so you must
not be disappointed if you do not meet with the respect you may possibly
expect from those whom you may look upon as your inferiors, though
they'll obey you readily when you repeat the orders you have received
from your superiors."

"I understand, Admiral," said Tom, wincing a little at the remark about
the babies, though he laughed as he spoke; "but I suppose, if I set to
work to learn my duty and get quickly out of petticoats, I shall be sent
away in charge of boats, as Jack used to be, and have opportunities of
proving that I am worth something."

"Well said, Tom; it won't be long before you are breeched, depend on
that," said the Admiral, laughing and patting him on the back. "Just
don't mind asking for information from those able to afford it, and you
will soon become a sailor."

The last days at home went rapidly by. Tom enjoyed the satisfaction,
shared in by the whole household, of appearing in his new uniform, an
old one of Jack's, which exactly fitted him, having been sent to Selby,
the Portsmouth tailor, as a pattern. With no little pride also he
buckled on a sword to his side, dirks having by that t