desire and determination to be and do all those dear ones--especially
his father--could wish; also to please and honor him to whose service
he had consecrated his life and all his powers.

Max was not perfect, but he was honest and true, and sincerely desirous
to do right.

He was much interested in the accounts received of the visits of
his father and the others to the scenes of revolutionary events in
Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and, though far from regretting his choice
of a profession, could not help wishing he could have made one of the
party.

One day, after he had spent some weeks in the Academy, he was
disappointed in his expectation of receiving a letter; none came the
next day; but then it occurred to him that the _Dolphin_ was probably on
her homeward way and he would soon get a letter from Woodburn, telling
of the arrival there of all belonging to the dear home circle.

And he was right; a package of letters came presently giving an account
of the events of the last days spent in Philadelphia, the return voyage,
and the joy of the arrival at their own beautiful and happy home.

Ah, as Max read, how he longed to be with them! Yet the concluding
sentences of his father's letter restored him to contentment with things
as they were.

The captain had just received and read the report of his boy's conduct
and academic standing for his first month and was much pleased with it.
He made that very clear to the lad, calling him his dear son, his joy