"Times have changed," said the admiral.
"In what way?" asked the son.
"You could not stand fire, my boy."
"Try me, father."
Then came that magnificent test of courage which ought to be depicted on the walls of the Capitol by the greatest artist of the day.
"Come up here with me, my boy," said the admiral.
Farragut and his son went up together into the maintop; the old man had himself and boy lashed to it, and in this way they passed Port Hudson.
The Confederates saw the daring act. Sharpshooters took aim at the admiral; a heavy gun was trained on that target, and the ball tore away some of the rigging, but neither father nor son flinched.
"My boy, you have the right pluck, you shall go to West Point," said the admiral when again he descended to the deck, and old John Tempest, then seventy years of age, exclaimed:
"God bless you, David! you are just like what your father was when I knew him first."