“Don’t you think my mother will be frightened into a fit, Captain Barney?” said Jack, when the first greetings were over. “You meant to throw me into a fit.” “Well, Jack, I had no more idea of seeing you than I had of seeing Jeff Davis. I went up after my newspaper; for I can’t eat my supper till I’ve seen the news; but I didn’t expect to bring you back with me.” “I’ll forgive you this time.” “Next time you come home, I suppose you’ll be an admiral.” “I hope not; for I shall be older than you are, then.” I need not tell my readers what a happy evening was spent at Captain Barney’s, nor how late Jack and his parents sat up that night in reviewing the events of the year. Tom’s letters were all brought out and read; and Jack could not help taking a little walk about the house, though the Pinchbrook clock was striking twelve. “Eight bells! All the starboard watch, ahoy!” said Jack, as he kissed his mother, and went to his old chamber in the attic of the cottage. A few days after his return, Jack put on his uniform: and certain young ladies declared that he was even a “handsomer fellow than his brother Tom”; for patriotic young ladies have a high regard for blue coats and bright buttons. At the expiration of his furlough, Jack reported at the Naval School; and here--leaving him as a bright example of what a young man may accomplish by being true to himself, true to his country, and true to God--here properly ends the eventful history of “THE SAILOR BOY,” though not of “JACK SOMERS IN THE NAVY.” FOOTNOTES: [A] We refer those who are curious to know more about ships-of-war to Master Brady’s “Kedge Anchor;” to Herman Melville’s “White Jacket, or the World in a Man-of-War,” and, for ships in general, to Mr. Dana’s “Seaman’s Friend.” [B] Discharged, dead. TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES: Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_. Perceived typographical errors have been corrected. Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized. Archaic or variant spelling has been retained.