"Well, boys, the war is over. What do you intend to do now?"
"I know what I shall do, sir," said Frank.
"Well, let's hear it."
"I shall return to America as soon as I am able to procure my discharge."
"As I thought," said Lord Hastings. "And you, Jack?"
"I hardly know, sir. I have no relatives, few friends. There is no one dependent on me, and I am dependent on no one. It strikes me, sir, that the navy might be a good place to stick."
"And I had expected that, too," said Lord Hastings quietly. "But I don't agree with you, Jack."
"Why not, sir?" asked Jack, in some surprise.
"In the first place," said Lord Hastings, "the life would begin to pall on you when it settled down to dull routine. Now in active service, of course, it's different. I know, because I've tried both. No, my advice to you Jack, is to get out of the navy."
"But what shall I do, sir?"