he doctor gravely. "Our
friendships depend much upon ourselves."

"But I wanted to come out, father."

"And you've come to where nearly all our neighbours are blacks--savages,
and many of the others convicts, who are not merely blacks on the
surface, Nic. Well, we shall see how you get on. You may alter your
tone, my boy."

Nic said nothing, and the horses--six--were inspected.

"Janet and Hilda ride those two little mares, Nic," said the doctor;
"and sometimes I get your mother to mount this old favourite, but not
often. The others are away grazing."

"You have plenty of horses, then?"

"Yes. They are a necessity here, where so many miles have to be covered
a day. You think you will be contented here?"

"Of course, father."

"But you'll have to work, Nic."

"To be sure, father. I'm sure I shall like it."

"A great change from school, my boy."

"Yes, father; but it was a great change for you to come from your London
practice."

"So it was, Nic," said the doctor: "a greater change, perhaps, for I was
no longer young and sanguine. Greatest of all was the change for your
mother and sisters--leaving, as they did, all the pleasant comforts of
life, to be their own servants and stoop to all kinds of work. But they
were very good. They saw health was the great thing. Nic, boy, for
once let me refer to this seriously. I came out believing that I might
prolong my poor weary life a year. At the end of that year I thought I
could prolong it two more; and at the end of those three years I began
to be hopeful of living with those dear to me another three."

"And now, father, you are going to live to be a fine, healthy, hearty
old man."

"Please God, Nic," said the doctor, reverently raising his hat,--"for
the sake of your mother and the girls."

"He might have said, `and for your sake too,'" thought Nic, as the
doctor walked away to pat one of the horses, returning directly after to
talk in a bright cheery way.

"I'm glad you like the horses and the place, Nic," he said. "Your
mother and I were a little nervous about it being dull for you."

"Oh, I shan't be dull, father," cried the boy. "Not if you have a boy's
healthy appreciation of nature, Nic; and that I hope you have. No, you
can't be dull; there is too much to take your attention. It will be a
rougher education, but it is a grand healthy life--one like this out in
a new land, to make a good simple natural home. People fear to come to
s