xclaimed.

I am not prone to indulge in effeminate demonstration, but I am not
ashamed to confess that when I gazed on the weather-beaten though ruddy
countenance of my old companion, and observed the eager glance of his
bright blue eyes, I was quite overcome, and rushed violently into his
arms. I may also add that until that day I had had no idea of
Peterkin's physical strength; for during the next five minutes he
twisted me about and spun me round and round my own room until my brain
began to reel, and I was fain to cry him mercy.

"So, you're all right--the same jolly, young old wiseacre in whiskers
and long coat," cried Peterkin. "Come now, Ralph, sit down if you can.
I mean to stay with you all evening, and all night, and all to-morrow,
and all next day, so we'll have lots of time to fight our battles o'er
again. Meanwhile compose yourself, and I'll tell you what I've come
about. Of course, my first and chief reason was to see your face, old
boy; but I have another reason too--a very peculiar reason. I've a
proposal to make and a plan to unfold, both of 'em stunners; they'll
shut you up and screw you down, and altogether flabbergast you when you
hear 'em, so sit down and keep quiet--do."

I sat down accordingly, and tried to compose myself; but, to say truth,
I was so much overjoyed and excited by the sight of my old friend and
companion that I had some difficulty at first in fixing my attention on
what he said, the more especially that he spoke with extreme volubility,
and interrupted his discourse very frequently, in order to ask questions
or to explain.

"Now, old fellow," he began, "here goes, and mind you don't interrupt
me. Well, I mean to go, and I mean you to go with me, to--but, I
forgot, perhaps you won't be able to go. What are you?"

"What am I?"

"Ay, your profession, your calling; lawyer, M.D., scrivener--which?"

"I am a naturalist."

"A what?"

"A naturalist."

"Ralph," said Peterkin slowly, "have you been long troubled with that
complaint?"

"Yes," I replied, laughing; "I have suffered from it from my earliest
infancy, more or less."

"I thought so," rejoined my companion, shaking his head gravely. "I
fancied that I observed the development of that disease when we lived
together on the coral island. It don't bring you in many thousands a
year, does it?"

"No," said I, "it does not. I am only an amateur, having a sufficiency
of this world's goods to live on without workin