m in your will, then, my boy," said Uncle Dick. "He
wants nothing that will encumber him, and your watch would only be a
nuisance when the water had soaked in. Leave it to him in your will."

"Yes," said Uncle Joseph, "but I should have liked to give him something
else to make him always remember me when he's away."

"Why, Uncle Joe," I cried, with a curious choking feeling coming in my
throat, "you don't think I could ever forget you?"

"No, my boy, no," he said, shaking my hand very heartily, and then
laying the watch down, as if he didn't care to take to it again.

"It's very kind of you, Joe," said Uncle Dick, for he saw how his
brother-in-law seemed hurt; "but don't you see, my dear boy, we are
going to lead the roughest of rough lives, and what we carry at a time
when every extra ounce will be a trouble, must be the barest
necessities. I've often had to leave behind valuable things, solely
because I could not carry them. Here, I tell you what: you go into the
city to-morrow, and buy him one of the best, and biggest, and strongest
jack-knives you can find; one of those with a steel loop so that it can
hang handily from a lanyard, ready for any purpose from cutting his
breakfast to hacking a way through the canes, or skinning a wild beast.
You could not give him a better present than that."

"To be sure," cried Uncle Joe, brightening up, "I will. What kind of a
handle would you like, Nat?"

"Never mind the handle, Joe; look to the blade. Let it be a thoroughly
good bit of stuff, the best you can buy."

"To be sure. Yes; to be sure," cried Uncle Joe; and taking up his watch
he lowered it so carelessly into its place that it missed the fob, and
ran down the right leg of his trousers into his Wellington boot.

I had to turn boot-jack and drag the boot off before the watch could be
recovered, Uncle Dick laughing heartily the while.

And now this was the knife the good, amiable old fellow had got for me,
and certainly it was one that would stand me in good stead for any
length of time.

"Good-bye, Joe, old fellow," said Uncle Dick, gripping his hand fast.
"I'll take care of Nat."

"Yes, yes, you will, won't you?" he cried.

"Indeed I will, Joe, indeed I will; and now once more good-bye, old
fellow, I'm off. Till we meet again. Come after me soon, Nat."

Uncle Dick went away so as to leave us together, and no sooner were we
alone than Uncle Joe hesitated for a moment, and then hugged me to his
brea