the boys remained at the Professor's home that
night, awaiting symptoms of the patient's disease, and during the night
they recounted over and over again the adventures they had undergone,
and the experiences with the natives.

They conversed about the new enterprise into which they were to embark,
and the Professor congratulated them on the decision to remain and enter
the commercial, or business field. "After all," he said, "there is
nothing which so broadens a man as to have an occupation, and give to
that business the energies of his mind."

"Of course, there are many things that the natives must learn, but they
are so willing to work, that it is a pleasure to show them," said Harry.
"The best men we have had in the shops were the common natives, but
there is one thing that has always been troublesome, and that is to give
them different names."

"That is just what I had in mind for some time," added George. "It
didn't make much difference where there were only a few,--a hundred or
so, but now, when we have three hundred or more it is rather confusing
to have a dozen or more _Lolos_, and as many more _Walbes_, and names
like that."

"It might be a good idea to suggest that each one have a sort of
surname, so that there will be no difficulty of that kind hereafter,"
suggested John.

"A family name would be the proper thing," added the Professor.

"For my part, I don't see how people can get along without it," remarked
George.

"But it has not always been the custom to have surnames, or family
names," suggested the Professor.

"But the Romans did," exclaimed George.

"Yes, they had three names: the first was the prenomen, which was a
distinctive mark of the individual; then the nomen, or the name of the
clan; and third, the cognomen, which was the family name. The first name
was usually written with a capital letter only, like M. Thus, M. Tullius
Cicero."

"Well, that is the first time it ever occurred to me that the Romans
parted their names in the middle," said George, as he smiled at the
allusion.

"The ancient Greeks, with the exception of a few of the leading families
in Athens and Sparta, had only a single name. Among the German and
Celtic nations each individual had only one name, and that was also true
of the ancient Hebrews; the names Abraham, David, Aaron and the others
were used singly, and this was also the case in Egypt, Syria and Persia,
and throughout all of Western Asia."

"But it has