no thanks, boy; you have earned the refusal of the offer by
your steadiness and industry, so it is yours, freely, if you like to
have it. I do not want you to make up your mind and answer me yea or
nay upon the spur of the moment; take a little time to consider the
matter if you like, and let me know by the end of the week."

I needed no time for consideration, however; the offer was altogether
too good and advantageous in every way to be left hanging in the
balance, as it were. I therefore thankfully accepted it on the spot,
and the question of pay and prize-money then being gone into and settled
upon a very satisfactory basis, so far as I was concerned, I took my
leave, and hurried off home to acquaint my relatives with my good
fortune.

Now the reader will have gathered from the foregoing that at the period
of the opening of my story I was a sailor, and quite a young man; and
probably I need say but little more to complete the acquaintance thus
begun.

My name is George Bowen, and I was the only son of my father, Captain
Bowen, who was believed to have been drowned at sea--his ship never
having been heard of after leaving England for the South Seas--when I
was a little chap of only six years old. My sister Dora was born just
about the time that it was supposed my father must have perished, and a
year later my poor mother died, broken-hearted at the loss of a husband
that she positively idolised. Thus, we two--Dora and I--were left
orphans at a very early age, and were forthwith taken into the motherly
care of Aunt Sophie, who had no children of her own. Poor Aunt Sophie!
I am afraid I led her a terrible life; for I was, almost from my birth,
a big, strong, high-spirited boy, impatient of control, and resolute to
have my own way. But Dora--ah! Dora, with her sweet, docile
disposition, made ample amends for all my shortcomings, and in the end,
by her gentle persuasiveness, did much to subdue my rebellious spirit
and render me amenable to domestic discipline.

We were both exceptionally well educated, as education went then; for
Uncle Jack--Aunt Sophie's husband--was a clever, long-headed fellow, who
believed that it was not possible for a man to know too much; so Dora,
in addition to receiving a sound English education, was taught French,
music, and, in fact, the general run of what was then known as
"accomplishments", while I, in addition also to a good sound English
education, was taught French, Latin, an