at in this warm climate of ours."

"True," said Peterkin; "I forgot that. It would roast us."

"Well, as you're always doing that at any rate," remarked Jack, "we could
scarcely call it a change. But the fact is, I've been thinking over this
subject before. There is a certain nut growing in these islands which is
called the candle-nut, because the natives use it instead of candles, and
I know all about it, and how to prepare it for burning--"

"Then why don't you do it?" interrupted Peterkin. "Why have you kept us
in the dark so long, you vile philosopher?"

"Because," said Jack, "I have not seen the tree yet, and I'm not sure
that I should know either the tree or the nuts if I did see them. You
see, I forget the description."

"Ah! that's just the way with me," said Peterkin with a deep sigh. "I
never could keep in my mind for half an hour the few descriptions I ever
attempted to remember. The very first voyage I ever made was caused by
my mistaking a description, or forgetting it, which is the same thing.
And a horrible voyage it was. I had to fight with the captain the whole
way out, and made the homeward voyage by swimming!"

"Come, Peterkin," said I, "you can't get even _me_ to believe that."

"Perhaps not, but it's true, notwithstanding," returned Peterkin,
pretending to be hurt at my doubting his word.

"Let us hear how it happened," said Jack, while a good-natured smile
overspread his face.

"Well, you must know," began Peterkin, "that the very day before I went
to sea, I was greatly taken up with a game at hockey, which I was playing
with my old school-fellows for the last time before leaving them. You
see I was young then, Ralph." Peterkin gazed, in an abstracted and
melancholy manner, out to sea! "Well, in the midst of the game, my
uncle, who had taken all the bother and trouble of getting me bound
'prentice and rigged out, came and took me aside, and told me that he was
called suddenly away from home, and would not be able to see me aboard,
as he had intended. 'However,' said he, 'the captain knows you are
coming, so that's not of much consequence; but as you'll have to find the
ship yourself, you must remember her name and description. D'ye hear,
boy?' I certainly did hear, but I'm afraid I did not understand, for my
mind was so taken up with the game, which I saw my side was losing, that
I began to grow impatient, and the moment my uncle finished his
description of the ship, and bade