ing captive to his charms. And yet he had failed to make
the slightest impression on her. Nor was that all. Her heart and her
thoughts were evidently engaged in another direction. What, he enquired
of himself, could her mother have meant by the encouragement she gave
him to visit her home and see her daughter? His curiosity to find out
who it was that held such possession of this beautiful girl's affections
was now excited to the highest pitch.

CHAPTER XVIII.

ROUNDING CAPE HORN.

Mr. Gusher, with his pride wounded, and a heavy heart, took leave of the
Chapmans early on the following morning, and crossed the ferry on his
way back to New York. The black bucket containing the capital stock of
the great Kidd Discovery Company, in which his fancy pictured a dozen or
more fortunes, and which he bore with him, afforded no relief for his
disappointment. It might be the means of his owning a fine house, riding
in his own carriage, and being considered a rich man by society. But,
after all, riches only embodied the hard features of dollars and cents.
Who could find romance in the pursuit of dollars and cents? he thought.
You could carry fame into the grave with you. Dollars and cents might
buy you a fine coffin, and bring rich friends to your funeral; but they
left you at the tomb door.

Had Mr. Gusher gone back to New York in the belief that he had made an
impression on the affections of that pretty, simple-hearted country
girl, Mattie Chapman, what a happy man he would have been. He resolved,
however, not to be vanquished in this way--not to give it up--but to
continue his attentions, and if possible gain a victory over her
affections.

And now, gentle reader, you must accompany me to a very different part
of the globe, and see what is going on there.

The ship Pacific had been refitted and put in sailing order at Bahia,
and was now on her course for the Straits of Magellan. On reaching the
latitude of the straits strong adverse winds set in, and gale succeeded
gale until the sea became lashed into a tempest. The weather, too, was
biting cold, and the crew suffered intensely. Not a gleam of sun had
been seen for three weeks, and the ship's progress had to be worked by
dead reckoning.

Morning after morning the sturdy old captain would come on deck, thrust
his hands deep into the pockets of his pea-jacket, and look intently
over the wild watery scene. Then he would shake his head despondingly.
"Never caught it