playmates, and his home blank and melancholy; and
the roaming spirit of enterprise stirred again, and reproached him with
being a baby, for fancying he could stay at home for ever. He would come
back again with such honours as Allan Ernescliffe had brought, and oh!
if his father so prized them in a stranger, what would it be in his
own son? Come home to such a greeting as would make up for the parting!
Harry's heart throbbed again for the boundless sea, the tall ship,
and the wondrous foreign climes, where he had so often lived in fancy.
Should he, could he speak: was this the moment? and he stood gazing at
the fire, oppressed with the weighty reality of deciding his destiny.
At last Dr. May looked in his face, "Well, what now, boy? You have your
head full of something--what's coming next?"

Out it came, "Papa will you let me be a sailor?"

"Oh!" said Dr. May, "that is come on again, is it? I thought that you
had forgotten all that."

"No, papa," said Harry, with the manly coolness that the sense of his
determination gave him--"it was not a mere fancy, and I have never had
it out of my head. I mean it quite in earnest--I had rather be a sailor.
I don't wish to get away from Latin and Greek, I don't mind them; but
I think I could be a better sailor than anything. I know it is not all
play, but I am willing to rough it; and I am getting so old, it is time
to see about it, so will you consent to it, papa?"

"Well! there's some sense in your way of putting it," said Dr. May. "You
have it strong in your head then, and you know 'tis not all fair-weather
work!"

"That I do; Alan told me histories, and I've read all about it; but one
must rough it anywhere, and if I am ever so far away, I'll try not to
forget what's right. I'll do my duty, and not care for danger."

"Well said, my man; but remember 'tis easier talking by one's own
fireside than doing when the trial comes."

"And will you let me, papa?"

"I'll think about it. I can't make up my mind as 'quick as directly,'
you know, Harry," said his father, smiling kindly, "but I won't treat
it as a boy's fancy, for you've spoken in a manly way, and deserve to
be attended to. Now run down, and tell the girls to put away their work,
for I shall come down in a minute to read prayers."

Harry went, and his father sighed and mused! "That's a fine fellow! So
this is what comes of bringing sick sailors home--one's own boys must be
catching the infection. Little monkey, he t