Produced by David Garcia, Matthew Wheaton and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Kentuckiana Digital Library) [Illustration: Somers and the Admiral.] [Illustration: BRAVE OLD SALT. OLIVER OPTIC. LEE & SHEPARD. BOSTON.] BRAVE OLD SALT; OR, LIFE ON THE QUARTER DECK. A Story of the Great Rebellion. BY OLIVER OPTIC, Author of "THE SOLDIER BOY," "THE SAILOR BOY," "THE YOUNG LIEUTENANT," "THE YANKEE MIDDY," "FIGHTING JOE," "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE RIVERDALE STORY BOOKS," ETC., ETC. BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD, SUCCESSORS TO PHILLIPS, SAMPSON & CO. 1866. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1866, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. ELECTROTYPED AT THE _Boston Stereotype Foundry_, No. 4 Spring Lane. TO SAMUEL C. PERKINS, ESQ., This Book IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, BY HIS FRIEND WILLIAM T. ADAMS. PREFACE. This volume, the sixth and last of "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," is a record of "Life on the Quarter Deck," mostly in the squadron of Vice Admiral Farragut, one of whose familiar appellations, used in the ward-room and on the berth deck, has furnished the leading title of the book. The terrible war which devastated our country for four years has given to history two generals, Grant and Sherman, and one admiral, Farragut, whose achievements are unsurpassed, if they are equalled, in the annals of military and naval warfare; but while the author, in this work, has gratefully rendered his tribute of admiration to the distinguished naval commander, he has not attempted to present a complete biography of him. Those who have read the preceding volumes of this series need hardly be told that this is a book of adventure--of personal experience in the great struggle of the nineteenth century. Jack Somers, "The Sailor Boy," Mr. Somers, "The Yankee Middy," and Captain Somers, Lieutenant Commanding, are the same person; though often as he changes his official position, he is still the same honest, true, and Christian young man. In our completed sixth volume we take leave of the Somers family with many regrets. If our young friends in the army and navy had been less true, noble, and Christian, we could have parted with less sorrow. Yet the army and navy, as they crushed the Rebellion, have given us many young men just as true, just as noble and Christian. Let us gratefully cherish these living heroes, and they will not pass away from us "like a tale that is told."