rley--I knew a little of him--
was a wealthy man, partner in Vanderbyl and Warley's house, one of the
best in Cape Town. The lad can't want for money."

"Ah, he does, though. His elder brother has all the money. He was the
son of the first wife, old Vanderbyl's daughter, and all the money
derived from the business went to him. The second wife's fortune was
settled on Ernest; but it was lost, every farthing of it, in the failure
of Steinberg's bank last year."

"Won't the elder brother do anything?"

"No more than very shame may oblige him to do. He hated his father's
second wife, and hates her son now."

"How old is the lad?"

"Past nineteen; very steady and quiet, but plenty of stuff in him. He
wouldn't take his brother's money, if he had the chance; says he means
to work for himself. He wanted to be a parson, and would have gone this
autumn to the University, but for the smash of the bank. He'll do
anything now that I advise him, but I don't know what to advise."

"`Nineteen!'--too old for the navy. `Wanted to be a parson!'--wouldn't
do for the army. `Do anything you advise!' Are you sure of that? Few
young fellows now-a-days will do anything but what they themselves
like."

"Yes, he'll do anything I advise, because he knows I really care for
him. Where he fancies he's put upon, he can be stiff-backed and defiant
enough. I've seen that once or twice. Ernest hasn't your nephew
Frank's temper, which is hot and hasty for the moment, but is right
again the next. He doesn't come to in a minute, as Frank does, but he's
a good fellow for all that."

The captain's brow was overcast as he heard his nephew's name. "Frank's
spirit wants breaking, Mr Lavie," he said in an angry tone. "I shall
have to teach him that there's only one will allowed aboard ship, and
that's the captain's. Frank can ride and leap and shoot to a bead they
tell me, but he can't command my ship, and he shan't. I won't have him
asking for reasons for what I order, and if he does it again--he'll wish
he hadn't. But this is nothing to the purpose, Mr Lavie," he added,
recovering himself. "We were talking about young Warley. You had
better try to get him a clerkship in a house at Cape Town. You mean to
settle there yourself after the voyage, do you not?"

"Well, no, sir, I think not I had meant it, but my inclination now
rather is to try for a medical appointment in Calcutta. You see it
would be uncomfortable for Ernest at t