ed a double row of snow-white
teeth that were a gift of beauty in themselves.

Five years of city life wrought many changes in his outward appearance
without in any wise impairing the fineness of his nature. He learned
to endure the at first irksome restraints of such troublesome things as
trousers, collars, hats, and shoes, and--still harder lesson--to become
accustomed to the daily drudgery of school, so that both in body and
mind he showed very decided improvement.

But his love of outdoor life lost none of its strength, and there being
no moors near by to range over, he took to the water instead, spending
as much of his free time as possible with the sailormen, who had such
marvellous yarns to spin, climbing up and down the rigging of brigs and
barques and ships, and now and then getting a short trip about the
Firth of Forth when his uncle permitted. Thus he became filled with a
passion for the sea that was at its height when the proposed Darien
enterprise set Scotland afire, and down in his heart Donalblane
determined that he would do his very best to join the brave band of
adventurers into the wonderful New World.

CHAPTER II.

DONALBLANE CARRIES HIS POINT.

It was one thing for Donalblane to make up his mind to go to Darien,
and quite another to carry his resolution into effect.

Alexander Blane was a masterful man, who had no fancy for accepting
advice or suggestions from other folk. He much preferred thinking of
things himself, and Donalblane knew well enough that for him to make a
direct request meant its being turned down both promptly and finally.
Strategy was therefore necessary, and, after some deep thought and the
casting aside of various schemes, he hit upon one that gave promise of
success if judiciously carried out.

Thanks to his natural quickness of mind and his interest in his
studies, he had quite won the heart of the dominie who with book and
birch ruled his little educational kingdom, and so to wise William
Laidlaw he went with his scheme. Now, as it happened, no man in
Scotland had been more fired by Paterson's daring project than this
school-teacher of Leith. He was a Scot of the Scots, and the bitterest
regret of his life was that a crippled leg, which made active movement
impossible, barred his own way to joining the expedition.

Disappointed in that direction, he had done what was perhaps even
better--he had invested the entirety of his own savings in the stock,
and he h