I would you go with us?" exclaimed Tony. "That would be capital.
With a big fellow like you we should be able to make our way anywhere."

"Not exactly that," was the answer. "I'll tell you what I should do,
Nyass. As soon as I found that you had started, I should make chase
after you and bring you back. Depend upon it, it would be the best mark
of friendship I could show you! Time enough by-and-by--when you have
gone through school and been at college, and got a little more knowledge
than you now possess in your heads--to start on such an expedition. I
have a great notion that I should like to do something of the sort
myself; so, if you ever start on an expedition to South America or any
other part of the world, find me out if you can, and let me know, and
then perhaps I shall be ready to accompany you."

These sensible remarks of Houlston put Tony completely off his purpose,
and we finally agreed to follow the advice of our school-fellow, and
wait patiently till we had finished our studies.

In the meantime I should say that my mother had rejoined my father at
Quito. When I first came to England I thought that the time when I
should leave school was a very long way off. It seemed like a dream
when I found myself at last a big fellow of sixteen at the commencement
of the summer holidays. There was Ellen, almost a grown-up young lady--
in my eyes, at all events--and John, who had been in Uncle James's
counting-house in London, a man with big whiskers.

"Well, Harry," said Uncle James, "would you like to go back to school,
or accompany John and Ellen to South America? Your father wishes to
have John's assistance, and perhaps you also can make yourself useful."

Although by this time I found school a far pleasanter place than when I
was a little boy, yet, as may be supposed, I did not take long to
decide.

"I will accompany John," I said without hesitation.

"We shall have to part with you soon, then, I am sorry to say," observed
my uncle; "for Captain Byles, who still commands the _Inca_, is about to
sail for Guayaquil. In consequence of the emancipation of the Spanish
South American provinces from the iron yoke of the mother country, their
ports are now free, and ships of all nations can trade to them, which
was not the case when you came home. Captain Byles has twice before
been to the Pacific, and we have resolved to send the _Inca_ there
again. He will be very glad to have you as passenger. You mu