No man claims his share of the sea--every one may there plough as he pleases, without being taken up for a trespasser.

Even war makes no difference; every one may go on as he pleases, and if they meet, it is nothing but a neutral ground on which the parties contend.

It is, then, only upon the ocean that I am likely to find that equality and rights of man, which we are so anxious to establish on shore; and therefore I have resolved not to go to school again, which I detest, but to go to sea, and propagate our opinions as much as I can." "I cannot listen to that, Jack, in the first place, you must return to school; in the next place, you shall not go to sea." "Then, father, all I have to say is, that I swear by the rights of man I will not go back to school, and that I will go to sea.

Who and what is to prevent me?
Was not I born my own master ?--has any one a right to dictate to me as if I were not his equal?
Have I not as much right to my share of the sea as any other mortal?
I stand upon perfect equality," continued Jack, stamping his right foot on the floor.
What had Mr Easy to offer in reply?
He must either, as a philosopher, have sacrificed his hypothesis, or, as a father, have sacrificed his son.

Like all philosophers, he preferred what he considered as the less important of the two, he sacrificed his son; but--we will do him justice--he did it with a sigh.
"Jack, you shall, if you wish it, go to sea." "That, of course," replied Jack, with the air of a conqueror; "but the question is, with whom?
Now it has occurred to me, that Captain Wilson has just been appointed to a ship, and I should like to sail with him." "I will write to him," said Mr Easy, mournfully, "but I should have liked to have felt his head first"; and thus was the matter arranged.
The answer from Captain Wilson was, of course, in the affirmative, and he promised that he would treat Jack as his own son.
Our hero mounted his father's horse, and rode off to Mr Bonnycastle.
"I am going to sea, Mr Bonnycastle." "The very best thing for you," replied Mr Bonnycastle.
Our hero met Dr Middleton.