His mother wanted him to follow his father's profession.

He himself longed to go to sea, but he had promised his mother that he would never do so without her consent, and that consent he had no hope of obtaining.
The better-class people in the village shook their heads gravely over James Walsham, and prophesied no good things of him.

They considered that he demeaned himself greatly by association with the fisher boys, and more than once he had fallen into disgrace, with the more quiet minded of the inhabitants, by mischievous pranks.

His reputation that way once established, every bit of mischief in the place, which could not be clearly traced to someone else, was put down to him; and as he was not one who would peach upon others to save himself, he was seldom in a position to prove his innocence.
The parson had once called upon Mrs.Walsham, and had talked to her gravely over her son's delinquencies, but his success had not been equal to his anticipations.

Mrs.Walsham had stood up warmly for her son.
"The boy may get into mischief sometimes, Mr.Allanby, but it is the nature of boys to do so.