R. M. Ballantyne 
Jeff Benson or the Young Coastguardsman 

(Excerpt): ""Well, Jeff, what d’you think of doing?" asked that austere relative, two days after the funeral. "Of course at your age you can’t carry on the school alone." "Of course not, " answered the boy, with a suppressed sob. "What say you to entering my office and becoming a lawyer, Jeff?" "Thanks, uncle, I’d rather not." "What will you do, then?" demanded the uncle, somewhat offended at this flat rejection of his proposal. The lad thought for a moment, and then said quietly but decidedly, "I’ll go to sea." "Go to the world’s end if you like, " returned the uncle, who was proud and touchy, and hated the sea; "but don’t ask me to help you. " "Thank you, uncle, " replied the lad, who was as proud as himself, though not touchy, and had a strong affection for the sea; "having no particular business at the world’s end just now, I’ll put off my visit to a more convenient season.""