we had an excellent outfit for the journey, my mother
eagerly placing funds at the doctor's disposal. And then came the
question of how we were to get to the great northern island, for as a
rule facilities for touching there were not very great; but somehow this
proved to be no difficulty, all that we undertook being easily mastered,
every obstacle melting away at the first attack. In fact the journey to
New Guinea was like a walk into a trap--wonderfully easy. The
difficulty was how to get out again.

Perhaps had I known of the dangers we were to encounter I might have
shrunk from the task--I say might, but I hope I should not. Still it
was better that I was in ignorance when, with the doctor, I set about
making inquiries at the harbour, and soon found a captain who was in the
habit of trading to the island for shells and trepang, which he
afterwards took on to Hongkong.

For a fairly liberal consideration he expressed himself willing to go
out of his way and land us where we liked, but he shook his head all the
same.

"You've cut out your work, youngster," he said; "and I doubt whether
you're going to sew it together so as to make a job."

"I'm going to try, captain," I said.

"That's your style," he said heartily, as he gave me a slap on the
shoulder. "That's the word that moves everything, my boy--that word
`try.' My brains and butter! what a lot `try' has done, and will always
keep doing. Lor', it's enough to make a man wish he was lost, and his
son coming to look after him."

"Then you have a son, captain?" I said, looking at him wistfully.

"Me? Not a bit of it. My wife never had no little 'uns, for we always
buys the boats, they arn't young ships. I married my schooner, my lad;
she's my wife. But there, I'm talking away with a tongue like an old
woman. Send your traps aboard whenever you like, and--there, I like
you--you're a good lad, and I'll help you as much as ever I can. Shake
hands."

It was like a fierce order, and he quite hurt me when we did shake
hands, even the doctor saying it was like putting your fist in a
screw-wrench.

Then we parted, the doctor and I to complete our preparations; the
various things we meant to take were placed on board, and now at last
the time had come when we must say _Good-bye_!

For the first time in my life I began to think very seriously of money
matters. Up to this money had not been an object of much desire with
me. A few shillings to send in