arning a great deal more than he would at school," said Uncle
Dick; "and his handwriting is a good deal improved. It is more free and
quicker."

"But there are his other studies," said Aunt Sophia, who was in a bad
humour.

"Well, Sophy, he has picked up a great deal of Latin since he has been
helping me; knows ten times as much as he did about America and the West
Indian Islands, and has picked up a host of little natural history
facts, for he is always asking questions."

"Oh yes," said my aunt tartly, "he can ask questions enough! so can all
boys."

"But not sensible questions, my dear," said Uncle Dick smiling; but my
aunt kept looking angrily at me as I sat hearing all that was going on.

"Sensible questions, indeed!" she said; "and pray, of what use is it
going to be to him that he knows how to stick a pin through a butterfly
and leave the poor thing to wriggle to death."

"Naturalists do not stick pins through butterflies and leave them to
wriggle to death," said Uncle Dick, looking at me and smiling. "Suppose
they did, Nat, what would happen?"

"It would be very cruel, uncle, and would spoil the specimen," I said
promptly.

"To be sure it would, Nat."

"It's all waste of time, Richard, and the boy shall go back to school."

"I have not done with Nat yet, Sophy, and I shall be obliged by your
ceasing to talk nonsense. It worries me."

This was said in so quiet and decided a way, and in the voice of one so
accustomed to command, that my aunt said:

"Well, Richard, I suppose it must be as you wish."

"Yes, if you please," he said quietly. "I have the boy's interest at
heart as much as you."

As the time went on my aunt and Uncle Dick had two or three little
encounters over this, in all of which Aunt Sophy was worsted; Uncle Dick
quietly forcing her to let him have his own way in everything.

This set me thinking very much about the future, for I knew that in less
than two months' time Uncle Dick would be off upon his new expedition;
one that was to be into the most unfrequented regions of the East Indian
Islands, though he had said very little about it in my presence.

"I should like to know all about where you are going, Uncle Dick," I
said one afternoon, as we were working together.

"Why, my boy?"

"Because it is so interesting to know all about foreign lands, uncle."

"Well, my boy, I think of going from here straight away to Singapore,
either with or without a stay at Ceylon. From