adventure--" Humphreys shrugged his shoulders and spread his hands abroad expressively. Dick's eyes sparkled and his face lit up with enthusiasm. "South Africa is the place for me, without a doubt," he exclaimed with animation. "It is, as you say, rich; it is also a land of unbounded possibilities; and-- But how am I to get there? The passage money amounts to something considerable, and I have no money to spare for that sort of thing; also, as I have said, I will not take a penny from the Mater." "What about borrowing?" suggested Humphreys. "As you know, Dick, I am not a rich man, but I have no doubt I could manage to--" "No!" interrupted Dick emphatically; "a thousand times no. It is like you, Doctor, to offer to help me out of your own exceedingly limited means, and I am more grateful to you than I have words to express; but I simply will not avail myself of your kindness, or that of anybody else indeed, for I should be starting with a millstone of debt hanging round my neck. No, I have thought of a better way than that; I will work my passage out." "Work your passage out!" ejaculated the Doctor, staggered, in spite of his whole-hearted belief in the virtues of self-help, at this bold suggestion on Dick's part. "In what capacity, pray?" "Oh, as anything!" returned Dick buoyantly; "as ordinary seaman, cook's mate, stoker--what does it matter? I will find a way, never fear. I'll take a trot round the docks to-morrow, and it will be strange indeed if I cannot somewhere find a market for my labour. Why, even the elementary knowledge of nautical matters that I have acquired in sailing my little single-handed cutter during holiday time will be of service to me. I can steer, I can box the compass, I know the name of every sail on a full-rigged ship; and I will guarantee that before I have been forty-eight hours out I will know the function of every bit of running rigging, and where to lay my hand upon it in the dark." "Ay, I'll bet that you will, Dick," answered Humphreys, with enthusiasm as great as Dick's own. "And I have not much doubt as to your being able to get a berth as ordinary seaman; for you are a big strong fellow, and for mere pulling and hauling purposes any skipper ought to be glad to get hold of you. Yes, I think we may consider that part of your problem solved. But what about after your arrival in South Africa? How do you propose to proceed at the end of the voyage when you have safely landed? For you must remember that in all probability you will have no wages to draw; people who work their passages are usually shipped at the princely rate of pay of one shilling per month." "Yes, I know," said Dick. "Still, I shall have reached the scene of my great endeavour without cost, and that is the important thing. After that I shall of course be obliged to trust to my own push and `hustle', as you call it, for it is impossible to make any definite plans at this distance from the scene of operations."