4 THE VOYAGE OF THE JEANNETTE. 



from the restraints of home, and roughly rebel against 

 the authority of love. Meanwhile he amused himself 

 with books, the friends which his secluded life had 

 given him, and spent day after day at the Mercantile 

 Library, where he read voraciously, feasting especially 

 upon books of adventure and travel. He attached 

 himself to the librarian, helped him about his duties, 

 and even filled the office for a few months during an 

 interregnum. His restlessness was not satisfied, but 

 was stimulated by his reading, and Captain Marryat 

 and other seductive mariners again gave him an almost 

 uncontrollable longing for the sea. 



He was still, however, an obedient son, and when 

 his parents refused to yield to his wishes, he yielded 

 to theirs, and entered the law office of the Hon. John 

 Oakey, who became warmly attached to the boy and 

 placed great confidence in him. It was shortly before 

 the breaking out of the War for the Union, and upon 

 Mr. Oakey's entering the service, George begged hard 

 to accompany his friend, and urged him to use his 

 influence in persuading the inflexible parents. Mr. 

 Oakey did indeed urge them to let the boy go, telling 

 them that a little rough experience would curb his 

 restless and ambitious spirit, and make him more will- 

 ing upon his return to remain at home the rest of his 

 days, — a well-worn line of reasoning which often has 

 an uncommon likeness to good sense. 



It may readily be believed that the perils of army 

 life would scarcely affect the imagination less than 

 those belonging to a learned profession, and neither the 

 boy nor Mr. Oakey could carry the day. This inces- 

 sant friction, however, began to produce its result, and 

 it is not unlikely that as George's ardor was increased 

 by his sense of national danger, so his parents' will was 



