u smoke?" asked Hans.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because it makes me sick, and I don't like it."

Hans looked surprised. This was a new idea to him, and he sat for some
time pondering it; indeed, we may say with truth that he "smoked it" In
a few minutes he looked earnestly at the youth, and asked why he came to
the Cape.

"To make my fortune," answered Considine.

"Fortunes are not easily made at the Cape," was the grave reply. "My
father has been making his fortune for the last quarter of a century,
and it's not made yet.--Why did you choose the Cape?"

"I didn't choose it."

"No?" said the Dutchman, with a look of surprise.

"No," responded the Englishman; "my coming here was not a matter of
choice: it was necessity. Come, I will make a confidant of you and
relate my history. Don't be alarmed, I won't keep you up all night with
prosy details. My life, as you may see, has not yet been a long one,
and until this year it has been comparatively uneventful."

He paused a few moments as if to recall the past, while his companion,
picking his pipe with a mimosa thorn, settled himself to listen.

"Father, mother, brothers, and sisters I have none," began Considine as
he whittled a stick--a pastime, by the way, which is erroneously
supposed to be an exclusively American privilege. "Neither have I
grandfathers, grandmothers, aunts, nephews, nieces, or anything else of
the sort. They all died either before or soon after I was born. My
only living relation is an uncle, who was my guardian. He is a
sea-captain, and a good man, but tough. I bear him no ill-will. I
would not speak disrespectfully of him; but he is tough, and, I incline
to think, no better than he should be. Infancy and boyhood with
squalling and schooling I pass over. My uncle ordered me to study for
the medical profession, and I obeyed. Wishing to see a little of the
world before finishing my course, I sailed in a vessel bound for
Australia. We touched at Table Bay in passing. Obtaining leave, I went
ashore at Capetown. The ship also went ashore--without leave--in
company with six other ships, during a terrific gale which sprang up in
the night. Our vessel became a total wreck. The crew were saved, but
my effects went with the cargo to the bottom. Fortunately, however, I
had carried ashore with me the little cash I possessed."

"I found the Capetown people very kind. One of them took me by the hand
and offered me employment, but I preferr