ern, a feat which in view of that frigate's reputation occasioned
general exultation to the "Junos," for, as little Summers sagely
remarked at the breakfast-table, "what was the use of going to sea in a
ship whose sailing powers were unequal to the task of taking her crew
alongside an enemy?"

"Well, the old tub has not done badly, so far," observed young Smellie.
"She turns out a good deal better than I had been led to expect. I met
a mid who had formerly belonged to her, on the day that I came down to
join, and he said that the fastest he had ever known her to go was six
knots, and that it took her the length of a dog-watch to go about."

"Well, if she will stay at all, we shall not be so badly off as I was in
the old `Ajax,'" ejaculated Summers. "We were always obliged to _wear_
her, and if we could get her round upon the other tack without running
more than three miles to leeward we considered we had done pretty well."

"Is it your _habit_ to exaggerate, or do you only indulge in it
occasionally, young 'un?" quietly inquired Percival, the master's-mate,
looking up from a book he was devouring with his breakfast.

"Exaggerate? How do you mean?" returned Summers, flushing up very red
in the face. "I thought it would be understood that I was only joking."

"And I have no doubt it _was_ so understood," remarked Percival, "but if
you are not above taking a bit of friendly advice, let me recommend you
not to deviate a single hair's-breadth _from_ the truth, even in joke;
it is a dangerous practice, and as easy an introduction to deliberate,
systematic lying as any with which I am acquainted. Now don't look so
hurt, my boy, of course you meant no harm--you had no intention to
deceive us, it was merely a thoughtless speech, but be advised by me and
avoid that particular species of thoughtlessness as you would the
plague, nothing is much easier to acquire than a reputation for
untruthfulness, and certainly nothing is more difficult to get rid of."

Poor little Summers hung down his head for a few moments, dreadfully
abashed at this unexpected rebuke, then looking up, with the flush still
on his face, he said, "Thank you, Mr Percival. You hit me rather hard,
but I believe you are right, I am afraid I _have_ yielded rather too
much to the bad habit of which you speak, but I don't think I shall be
likely to do it again. And now, to change the subject, does anybody
know exactly where we are bound?"

"There was a vag