it, I'll
make myself agreeable to-day, at all events!"

Chapter XXXIV

HOW THEY ALL WENT HUNTING FOR SEA ANEMONES AT CAPE CHATHAM--AND HOW THE
DOCTOR GOT A TERRIBLE FRIGHT--AND HOW CAPTAIN BLOCKSTROP SHOWED THAT
THERE WAS GOOD REASON FOR IT.

And presently, the Captain, half dressed, working away at his hair with
two very stiff brushes, betook himself to Major Buckley's room, whom he
found shaving. "I'll wait till you're done," said he; "I don't want you
to cut yourself."

And then he resumed: "Buckley, your son wants to marry my daughter."

"Shows his good taste," said the Major. "What do you think of it?"

"I am very much delighted," said the Captain.

"And what does she say to it?"

"She is very much delighted."

"And I am very much delighted, and I suppose Sam is too. So there you
are, you see: all agreed."

And that was the way the marriage negotiations proceeded; indeed, it
was nearly all that was ever said on the subject. But one day the Major
brought two papers over to the Captain (who signed them), which were
supposed to refer to settlements, and after that all the arrangements
were left to Alice and Mrs. Buckley.

They started for Cape Chatham about nine o'clock in the day; Halbert
and Jim first, then Sam and Alice, and lastly the three elders. This
arrangement did not last long, however; for very soon Sam and Alice
called aloud to Halbert and Jim to come and ride with them, for that
they were boring one another to death. This they did, and now the
discreet and sober conversation of the oldsters was much disturbed by
loud laughter of the younger folks, in which, however, they could not
help joining. It was a glorious crystal clear day in autumn; all
nature, aroused from her summer's rest, had put off her suit of hodden
grey, and was flaunting in gaudiest green. The atmosphere was so
amazingly pure that miles away across the plains the travellers could
distinguish the herds of turkeys (bustards) stalking to and fro, while
before them, that noble maritime mountain Cape Chatham towered up,
sharply defined above the gleaming haze which marked the distant sea.

For a time their way lay straight across the broad well-grassed plains,
marked with ripples as though the retiring sea had but just left it.
Then a green swamp; through the tall reeds the native companion, king
of cranes, waded majestic; the brilliant porphyry water hen, with
scarlet bill and legs, flashed like a sapphire among the em