However, it resulted in Sergeant Trenchman being engaged.

My new tutor was a fairly well-educated man, but did not understand how to impart his knowledge to others. He had travelled all over the world, and had wonderful stories to tell about each part of it. He was also a proficient in single-stick; thus my time was either passed in fencing or listening to his exploits abroad. My father and his boon companion used frequently to visit the school-room shortly before dinner. That was the hour devoted to the study of thrusts and cuts. As soon as the door opened, and the weather-beaten visages of the old gentlemen were seen, Sergeant Trenchman would shout with the voice of a bull, "ten-shun," springing himself into that position, and insisting that I should do likewise.

"That's right, Sergeant; that's right, Sergeant," both veterans would exclaim together. Then my father would continue, "Any complaints, Sergeant?" to which he always received the stereotyped answer, "No, sir."

And as the two old worthies left the room, they might be heard saying sotto voce, "that's the way to bring up a lad—nothing like discipline, nothing."

This state of things went on for more than a year, when the good Sergeant took to dissipated courses, and was reduced to the ranks, that is, dismissed.

"By Jupiter!" exclaimed the Captain of Marines, "he should have been tried for habitual drunkenness; the scoundrel has been six times drunk in a week-a fair enough allowance for a year."

"That comes of having engaged a soldier. I foresaw

it. There is no confidence to be put in those landlubbers."

"Not a particle-not a particle. I believe both services are going to the devil."

"You may take your oath on it," angrily exclaimed my father.

After Sergeant Trenchman's disgrace, for many months I ran wild, scarcely knowing what to do with myself, when arrangements were entered into with the Curate for so many hours tuition daily. He was a quiet, retiring, studious gentleman, who never lost his temper, or raised his voice. When I was inattentive, indolent, or lacking in punctuality, he used to appeal to my better feelings, and the fault he complained of was at once amended.

I cannot say I know very much, but the little I do know is entirely due to the patience and kindness of this excellent clergyman during the three years I was under his care.

Thus it may be understood that when I reached the age of eighteen I understood more of fencing, swimming, rowing, fishing, shooting, and hunting, than of Euclid, modern languages, and the Classics. Moreover, I possessed health, strength, and endurance in no ordinary degree.

My father could not afford to purchase me a commission, or even to make me an adequate allowance if I could have procured one, so the army-the profession I should have preferred to all others had to be given up. For the navy, I was too old; and as to the mercantile marine, the old gentleman set his foot down upon my

choice of it at once.

"What! sail in a craft that doesn't

fly a pennant, whose quarter-deck receives no more respect than the cook's galley-never, never!"

About this time, an occurrence took place that had a great effect upon my future steps. It was autumn, and the fishermen were obtaining heavy catches of herring. Several times I had gone out in one or other of the fishing fleet, for there is a wondrous fascination on a fine night to see or assist in taking on board the nets filled with their captures. As the herring are thrown into the hold, for a few seconds the mass look like a dancing pool of liquid silver; then all is still, the brilliancy remaining, but the surface as unbroken as that of a woodland lake in the calm of a summer evening.

Then to listen to the sounds that speed over the waters; the snatch of a song, or the emphatic word of command, sometimes coming from a distant and unknown vessel, more frequently from one of your own companion crafts, detracts not from the enchantment. In our dreams we sometimes visit a mysterious and unknown world. To be afloat on the German Ocean in calm weather, when the fishing fleet are successful, is to have such dreams transferred from phantoms to realities.

As the majority of the fishermen knew me, and as they much respected my father, I had little difficulty in obtaining a passage. Within the few previous days the herring had moved further north, thus bringing the prospect of an absence of several days. The weather was beautifully fine when we got under way, with scarcely sufficient wind to enable us to steer. At length, we got to our fishing ground, and the nets were planted.

Soon after it commenced to blow fresh, yet we hung on to our moorings. At daybreak it was blowing a gale, compelling us to cut adrift and run for it. On the third. day we found ourselves on the coast of Denmark, just as the gale had blown itself out. Before we could return, fresh supplies required to be laid in, thus I had an opportunity of seeing something of a foreign country. The result was that I must see more. I had tasted the cup of adventure, and wished to drink deeper of it.

When I returned home, I communicated my intentions to my father. His countenance expressed his disappointment, but he said nothing. Nevertheless, I thought that he bid me a more affectionate farewell that night when I retired to bed than usual.

The next day Captain Cinnamon passed the evening with him. I had been shooting all day, and when I approached the house I found, as the weather was fine, that the old companions were enjoying themselves as usual.

"Go and change your clothes, my son, and get something to eat ; and if you have nothing better to do, come and join us afterwards."

I did as I was desired. None of the stereotyped stories were being told, but the tobacco was being inhaled in regular and measured puffs, and but for the action of blowing it forth, both might have been taken for statues.

After a protracted silence the old Captain spoke. "So you want to leave us my boy, is that the case?" My father said nothing, but looked straight before him.

"No; certainly not. But I am of an age at which others go out into the world. I wish to see it and pos

sibly learn how I can do something for my own support. My life up to this has been one unbroken holiday. I feel that it is time for this to cease, for it cannot so go on for ever. In fact, I wish to learn to lean upon myself,-not upon others."

"I said it, Swan. I said it," excitedly exclaimed the Captain. "The boy is right. It's what you did; it's what I did, and by-I was going to swear-it's what he is going to do. By heavens! if the service had men like him in it, it would not now be going to the devil.”

"I believe you are right, comrade," said my father; then turning to me, he said-"Jack, I don't mean to preach to you, for I don't think you require it; still listen for a moment. Wherever Wherever you are, remember you are a gentleman. Never do in secret what you would be ashamed should see the light of day, and let your motto be the Queen, the Church, and the Game Laws."

"My sentiments exactly," chimed in the Captain, "although I could not have expressed them quite as well."

The evening was now late. The house-keeper came, as was her wont, to tie under Captain Cinnamon's chin the string that held down the ear-pieces of his fur cap. He then wound round his neck half a dozen turns of a gigantic blue handkerchief, and as he walked off homewards, under care of a man-of-all-work, I heard him muttering, in spite of the barricading that covered his mouth, "The Queen, the Church, and the Game Laws."

Due preparation had been made for my intended journey, and the night previous to my departure had arrived. My father and his friend had made up their minds to see me to Carlisle, whence I was to catch the