Finding the captain on deck, talking with the executive officer, he very politely remained out of hearing, holding his hat in his hand, and waited for a chance to speak to him. At length the captain inquired:
"Hasn't Winters come up yet?"
"Yes, sir," answered Archie, stepping up with his best salute.
"Is this your writing?" inquired the captain, holding out to Archie a letter addressed, in a splendid business hand, to James Winters, Esq., Boston.
"Yes, sir," answered Archie; "that's a letter I wrote to my father."
"Well," continued the captain, "I have got a splendid position for you, as second clerk in the fleet paymaster's office. Would you like to take it?"
"Yes, sir," answered Archie; "but—but"—
"But what?" inquired the captain.
"I don't like to be separated from my cousin. We shipped together, and I should like to remain with him as long as possible."
"Oh, as to that," said the captain, "you can't expect to be together long; there is no certainty that you will be ordered to the same ship. You might as well separate one time as another. I think you had better accept this position."