changed under the exhibition Max was able to make of all he had learned
from his father during the weeks on board the _Dolphin_, showing himself
perfectly at home in "rigging-loft work," rowing, and swimming, and by
no means slow in taking to great-gun exercise, infantry tactics, and
field artillery.

Nor was he less ready in the art of swinging a hammock. His father had
not neglected that part of his education, and Hunt and others who had
hoped for some fun in watching his maiden effort had to own themselves
defeated and disappointed. Max was as expert at that as the oldest
member of the class.

So the "plebes" soon dropped their air of conscious superiority and
presently began to treat him as an equal; a change which he reported to
his father with evident satisfaction. He wrote frequently and with much
openness to that father, telling of his duties and pleasures and asking
advice in any perplexity as freely as he could have asked it of any one
near his own age, and with full confidence in the wisdom and the
affection for him which would dictate the reply.

Nor was he disappointed; almost every day a letter came from the
captain, breathing strong fatherly affection, giving commendation,
encouragement, and the best of advice; also telling everything about the
doings and happenings in the family that was not related by Mamma Vi or
one of Max's sisters, who not unfrequently added a note to papa's larger
letter.

All those letters, like the first, were highly prized by the recipient
and read and reread in leisure moments till he could have repeated their
contents almost word for word; and every perusal increased the lad's