"Why, what else is necessary, sir?" asked Max, with a look of surprise.
"A number of things which you saw done at Newport and at Gardiner's Bay are quite necessary. He must know how to fight a battle, take charge of an ordnance foundry, and conduct an astronomical observatory; must have a good knowledge of history, be an able jurist and linguist, and a good historian,--besides knowing how to manage a ship in calm or storm."
"Whew! what a lot of things to cram into one head!" laughed Max, with a slightly troubled look on his bright young face.
"Isn't yours big enough to hold it all?" asked his father, with an amused smile.
"I dare say it is, sir," replied Max, "but the difficulty is to pack it all in right. I presume the teachers will help me to do that, though."
"Certainly; and if you follow their directions carefully you will have no need to fear failure."
"Thank you, sir. That's very encouraging," said Max; "and I am fully determined to try my very best, Papa, if it was only not to disgrace my father."
"My dear son," the Captain said, a trifle huskily, and taking the boy's hand in a warm clasp, "I don't doubt that you intend to do as you have said; but never forget that your only safety is in keeping close to Him who has said, 'In Me is thine help.'"
It was Saturday evening,--the first that had found them on the broad ocean, out of sight of land. They were all on deck, enjoying the delicious evening breeze and a most brilliant sunset.
"Papa," Gracie said, breaking a momentary silence, "what are we going to do about keeping the Lord's Day to-morrow? We can't go to church, you know, unless you can sail the 'Dolphin' back to land in the night."
"I cannot do that, daughter," he answered; "but I can conduct a service here on the deck. How will that do, do you think?"
"I don't know, Papa," she replied, with some hesitation, blushing and looking fearful of hurting his feelings; "I s'pose you couldn't preach a sermon?"
"Why not?" he asked, smiling a little at her evident embarrassment.
"Why, Gracie! Papa's as good as any minister, I'm sure," exclaimed Lulu, half reproachfully, half indignantly.
"Of course he is; I didn't mean that!" returned Gracie, just ready to burst into tears; "I didn't mean he wasn't as good as anybody in this whole world,--for of course he is,--but I thought it was only ministers that preach."