"You see, Margaret, how from the very first he disliked Captain Reid. He was second lieutenant in the ship--the Orion--in which Frederick sailed the very first time. Poor little fellow, how well he looked in his midshipman's dress, with his dirk in his hand, cutting open all the newspapers with it as if it were a paper-knife! But this Mr. Reid, as he was then, seemed to take a dislike to Frederick from the very beginning. And then--stay! these are the letters he wrote on board the Russell. When he was appointed to her, and found his old enemy Captain Reid in command, he did mean to bear all his tyranny patiently. Look! this is the letter. Just read it, Margaret. Where is it he says--Stop--'my father may rely upon me, that I will bear with all proper patience everything that one officer and gentleman can take from another. But from my former knowledge of my present captain, I confess I look forward with apprehension to a long course of tyranny on board the Russell.' You see, he promises to bear patiently, and I am sure he did, for he was the sweetest-tempered boy, when he was not vexed, that could possibly be. Is that the letter in which he speaks of Captain Reid's impatience with the men, for not going through the ship's manuvres as quickly as the Avenger? You see, he says that they had many new hands on board the Russell, while the Avenger had been nearly three years on the station, with nothing to do but to keep slavers off, and work her men, till they ran up and down the rigging like rats or monkeys."

'You see, Margaret, how from the very first he disliked Captain Reid. He was second lieutenant in the ship - the Orion - in which Frederick sailed the very first time. Poor little midshipman! But this Mr. Reid, as he was then, seemed to take a dislike to Frederick from the very beginning. These are the letters he wrote on board the Russell. When he found his old enemy Captain Reid in command there, he did mean to bear his tyranny calmly. Look here, Margaret -
'"my father may rely upon me, to bear patiently everything that one officer and gentleman can take from another. But from my former knowledge of my captain, I fear a long course of tyranny on board the Russell." He was the sweetest-tempered boy, when he was not vexed. Is that the letter in which he speaks of Captain Reid's impatience with the men, for not going through manoeuvres as quickly as the Avenger? You see, they had many new hands on board the Russell, while the Avenger had been three years with nothing to do but work her men, till they ran up and down the rigging like monkeys.'
