What have you thought of for me ?" "I have hoped, James, that you might become a learned man, perhaps a college professor.

Surely that would be better than to be a common sailor." "But I wouldn't stay a common sailor, mother.

I would be a captain some time." I suppose there is no doubt that, had James followed the sea, he would have risen to the command of a ship, but the idea did not seem to dazzle his mother.
"If you go to sea I shall lose you," said his mother.

"A sailor can spend very little time with his family.

Think carefully, my son.