Carwell was not a mean man, but he was accustomed always to approach with due caution anything in the nature of a financial transaction; therefore he did not open his heart and hand so readily as Jack had expected. "That requires some consideration, my lad," he said after a pause; "money is harder to get than to give." "You have surely had plenty of time to consider the matter, uncle?--because, I do not ask you to give me the money, but to lend it to me. I'll pay it back with interest--the loan will be as good a thing for you as for me." "H'm. You see, you offer no security." "Isn't my word enough security?" cried Jack, flushing. "I am your own sister's son; it is not likely I would swindle you." "Softly, my lad. I'm not accusing you of dishonesty; but I never stretch out my hand farther than I can draw it back. You want five hundred pounds; for use in connection with your ship, isn't it?" "Yes; the purchase of her has taken all the money I got for the pearls, and all the skipper's savings to boot. We want more men; we can easily get them at Grimleigh. She must be provisioned, too, and that takes a lot of cash. Then a hundred or so in hand for trading purposes when we reach the South Seas. I can't make bricks without straw." "What sort of trading will you do?" "Oh, copra, and blackbirding," replied Finland, carelessly. "I'm a plain country farmer," said Carwell, smiling, "and I don't understand these terms you bring from your new world. What is copra?" "The dried kernel of the cocoa-nut. It is used for oil-making, and fetches a good price, especially if the Kanakas don't water it." "And blackbirding, what is that?" Jack laughed and looked queerly at the old man. It was not easy for him to answer this question without offending his uncle's prejudices. However, he skirted round it, and got out of danger as best he could. "Blackbirding," he said cautiously--"well, you see, we sail for the Solomons or the New Hebrides, and pick up natives to work on the plantations on the more civilized islands. They are well looked after and get good pay; so after a few years they go back to their own land set up for life." "Do the missionaries approve of this system?" "Oh yes. It brings savages from out-of-the-way islands into the circle of Christianity, and then they can spread the Gospel on their own account." "They are not slaves, these natives?--they are paid?" "Paid in what we call trade," replied Jack. "They hire themselves out for three years as a rule, and when their service is ended we take them back again, with the value of what they have earned in goods. Oh, it's square enough. The Australian Government appoints agents to see that all is above board." "Does it pay?" "You bet, uncle--pays well. Let me have that five hundred, and I'll soon give it to you again." "I must take a week to think over it," said Carwell, still unconvinced.