ing manly fellow of about twice
the speaker's age.

"I should like to fish, and stop and explore some of the islands, and
shoot, and collect curiosities."

"And drive all the passengers mad with vexation because of the delay."

"Oh! old people are so selfish," said the lad, pettishly.

"And the young ones are not," said the young doctor, drily.

The boy looked up sharply, coloured a little through the brown painted
by the sun on his skin, and then he laughed.

"Well, it's all so new and fresh," he said. "I should like to see a
storm, though. One of those what do you call 'ems--tycoons--no,
typhoons."

"You're getting deeper into the mire," said the doctor, smiling.
"Carey--why, we ought to nickname you Don't-Care-y, to have such a wish
as that."

"Why? It would be a change."

"A storm! Here, in this rock and shoal-dotted sea, with its dangerous
currents and terrible reefs, where captains need all their skill to
pilot their vessels safe to port!"

"Never thought of that," said the lad. "Let's see, what does the chart
say? New Guinea to the north, and home to the south."

"Home if you like to call it so," said the doctor; "but you've a long,
long journey before you yet."

"Yes, I know, through Torres Straits and Coral Sea and by the Great
Barrier Reef. I say, doctor, wouldn't it be jolly to be landed
somewhere to the south here and then walk across the country to
Brisbane?"

"Very," said the doctor, drily. "Suppose you'd take a few sandwiches to
eat on the way?"

"There, you're joking me again," said the boy. "I suppose it would be
many days' march."

"Say months, then think a little and make it years."

"Oh! nonsense, doctor!"

"Or more likely you'd never reach it. It would be next to impossible."

"Why?" said Carey.

"Want of supplies. The traveller would break down for want of food and
water."

"Oh! very well," cried the boy, merrily; "then we'll go by sea."

It was the day following this conversation that Carey Cranford's energy
found vent, despite the heat, in a fresh way.

The _Chusan_ was tearing along through the dazzlingly bright sea,
churning up the water into foam with her propeller and leaving a cloud
of smoke behind. The heat was tremendous, for there was a perfect calm,
and the air raised by the passage of the steamer was as hot as if it had
come from the mouth of a furnace. The passengers looked languid and
sleepy as they lolled about finder the great awning, and t