"Write long letters and think of him every day," put in a blithe, merry voice at the door; and Winnie sprang up with a cry of delight as Dick strode into the room attired in all the splendour of his new uniform.
"How do I look, Win?" he cried, touching his cap, and standing in all the pride of his young, bright strength, ready to be admired. "Am I respectable?"
But he need hardly have asked that question, for the little sister's face was all aglow, and her rosy lips laughing a glad, proud smile.
"Respectable!" (with scorn); "why, Richard, you're simply splendid! And oh! you do look every inch a sailor."
"I thought I would let you see me in full uniform before packing up my baggage," said Dick, by way of apology for his childish display. "Look at the brass buttons, Win, and the badge on my cap; they make me feel as if I were a sailor already."
Winnie duly admired.
"I hope you'll have a good voyage, and not find the work too hard," she whispered afterwards, and the boy answered.
"Win," he began impressively, "I intend putting my whole 'shoulder to the wheel.' If I cannot work with the brain, I will strive my very best with hand and heart, and do my duty come what may. I mean to be a true man, and live an honest, upright life, not in order to gain every one's good opinion (though of course I should dearly like that too), but because it is right."
Winnie's eyes were shining. "I told you so," she said, clapping her hands joyously. "You'll be a king amongst men yet. And oh, how proudly our father will some day talk of 'my sailor son!'" The boy's face flushed with pleasure. "But, Dick, you won't care less for me when you become both good and great; will you?" and the pretty voice had a wistful ring in it as Winnie neared the close of her sentence.
"Good! why, you're an angel compared with me, Win," said the boy lovingly; "but we'll both try our best, dear. I'm a great, rough boor of a lad, Win, and you're such a dainty, fairy creature. But think how grand it would be to know that every day you at home and I out on the ocean were striving to do our duty and live as we ought to live. I've been all wrong in the past, I know, and it is little wonder the others don't care much about me; but I mean to strike out afresh and begin all over again. See here, Winnie; this is my farewell gift to you. I thought you would prize it more than anything else," and Dick placed a beautiful pocket Bible in his sister's hands.