LETTER FROM HON. STEPHEN POWYS 91 



hearing that I was to join my father at Dart- 

 mouth, at the beginning of my summer holidays. 

 It was settled rather hurriedly, and my joyful 

 surprise was mingled with a comfortable 

 assurance that I should be able to do absolutely 

 as I pleased, for a week or two, for my father 

 was the most indulgent, as well as the most 

 delightful of companions. There were others 

 there of course, but they were older, and I was 

 only about twelve, and perhaps their " capacity 

 for innocent enjoyment " was hardly so keen as 

 a child's. I think no one had seen his happy 

 nature at its happiest who had not been with 

 him on board ship. He loved the sea passion- 

 ately, and was never so well as when on a cruise. 

 'We were alone together on board once, 

 possibly twice, and I remember that my father 

 got up quite early on those summer mornings 

 and began his letter-writing before breakfast. 

 It was my custom to emerge just as he got 

 settled, and hover about the saloon, first of all 

 making chocolate to sustain us till breakfast, 

 and then, I suppose, interupting and distracting 

 him from his writing. I have no recollection 

 that he ever rebelled ; at most he would call me 



