an expostulating tone.

"What of that? There are plenty of ships. The ocean is just as big,
and the world just as wide, as if we had a navy to cover the first. I
see no great objection on that account--do you, Ru?"

"Certainly not. What we want is to go to sea, and that can be done in
an Indiaman, as well as in a man-of-war."

"Yes," said I, stretching myself with a little importance. "I fancy
an Indiaman, a vessel that goes all the way to Calcutta, round the
Cape of Good Hope, in the track of Vasquez de Gama, isn't exactly an
Albany sloop."

"Who is Vasquez de Gama?" demanded Lucy, with so much quickness as to
surprise me.

"Why, a _noble_ Portuguese, who discovered the Cape of Good Hope,
and first sailed round it, and then went to the Indies. You see,
girls, even _nobles_ are sailors, and why should not Rupert and I
be sailors?"

"It is not that, Miles," my sister answered; "every honest calling is
respectable. Have you and Rupert spoken to Mr. Hardinge on this
subject?"

"Not exactly--not spoken--hinted only--that is, blindly--not so as to
be understood, perhaps."

"He will _never_ consent, boys!" and this was uttered with