Obedient to Dan's signal, the sailor-birds flew up the ropes, and stood on the slender cross-trees, as proud as if they had passed their lives in the service. "Good--good!" said Captain Liddle. "For sale, eh?" "No; they are not mine sir; they belong to an old sailor." "Very proper. Ah, young lady," to Minnie, who had been in the room, but in the background, during the captain's visit; "and what do you think of the sea?" "If I had been a man, sir," said Minnie modestly and quietly, "I should like to have been a sailor." "Very proper--very proper. Good-day, Marvel. Get strong as quickly as you can. You'll have to superintend cargo." Mr. Marvel, coming home at night, was told the good news before he had time to take the comforter from his neck. He ran up stairs at once to his son's room. "A sailor first, and then a captain," he exclaimed, recalling Joshua's words when he first announced his wish. "Do you remember, Josh? "Yes, father, yes," said Joshua eagerly. "It's better than being a wood-turner, Josh," said George Marvel triumphantly. "I should think so, indeed. You'll see!" "There, Maggie!" observed Mr. Marvel to his wife later on in the evening. "What did I tell you? And you was against it all the while, and wanted him to be a wood-turner. He'll be a captain before he's thirty." "He is spared, I hope, for great things." said Mrs. Marvel meekly; "and to be a blessing to us all." That same night, Dan and Joshua and Ellen spent some very happy hours together. Minnie was with Susan attending her father, so that the three were undisturbed. Mrs. Marvel opened the door once; but seeing the group, and observing how engrossed they were, she shut it softly, and went down again into the kitchen. Once, also, George Marvel was going out of the kitchen when his wife called to to him,-- "Where are you going, father?" "To Joshua's room." "Don't go, George. Come and sit down; I want to speak to you." Mr. Marvel resumed his seat, and Mrs. Marvel refilled his pipe and handed it to him, with a light, "There! smoke your pipe and don't be so restless." He took a few whiffs, and asked who was with Joshua. "Ellen and Dan; and they are very happy and comfortable. I peeped in once, and I wouldn't disturb them." "Oh!" said Mr. Marvel reflectively dwelling lengthily upon that smallest of words. "I have reasons, George," said Mrs. Marvel quietly. "I never saw Ellen look so happy and pretty as she looks tonight." Mr. Marvel nodded two or three times with an expression of satisfaction. "Do you think, mother," he commenced; and then he paused, and repeated, "Do you think, mother, that"--and then he paused again, as if he had said enough to make his meaning clear. "Yes, I do, George," said Mrs. Marvel. "I had my doubts, but now I really think it will be so." "That will be a real good thing;" rubbing his hands. "Here's hoping so!" and he drank a full glass of beer to his mysterious toast.