and going some day to sea with Jack. He did not talk much about his
intentions; that was not his way, except, perhaps, to one or two very
intimate friends; but he had confided his hopes and wishes to Admiral
Triton, who had promised to forward them.

"You can't choose a better profession, and I'll see about it when the
time comes," answered the Admiral. "Not that the service is what it
was, but I never hold with those who swear that it's going to ruin, and
I shall have no fear on that score as long as there are plenty of fine
young fellows in it, like your brother Jack and his friends Murray and
Adair and scores of others, and such as you'll turn out, Tom, I'm sure.
No, no. I've a notion, however, that we should have been much the
better if those abominable, smoky tea-kettles of affairs introduced of
late years had never been thought of, but one comfort is, that they
never can be of the slightest possible use as men-of-war, though they
may serve to tow ships into action when forts are to be attacked and
such-like work. Never do you get appointed to one if you can help it,
Tom. They'll spoil our sailors as sailors if they do nothing else."

This was said before the _Nemesis_ in China, and other steamers had done
good service, which even seamen of the old school could not disparage.

Of course Tom regarded steamers with the utmost contempt, and never
spoke of them without quoting the remarks of Admiral Triton, who,
however, in the course of time, learnt to modify his opinions.

Tom, who had come home for the holidays with secret hopes of not having
to return to Eagle House, sat proudly smiling his assent to their
sisters' remarks on Jack, stopping for awhile from the vigorous attack
on a plate of ham and eggs, which he had before been making. Jack, who
had taken a chair at the table, asked quietly,--"do you really wish to
hear me hail the main-top?" Mary nodded.

Tom's eyes twinkled, his countenance beamed all over with delight.

Jack got up, planted his feet firmly on the floor, and put his hand to
his mouth as if about to hail.

"I had better not," he said, laughing, "lest I frighten the household
out of their propriety. They will think that some wild bull has got
into the breakfast-room."

"Oh, never mind that; we want to hear how you do speak on board ship,"
said Lucy; "just a few words, you know."

"As you like it," said Jack, and then, putting his hand to his mouth, he
shouted simply, "Maintop the