Part 11 (1/2)

And yet we did not look any older in each other's eyes, only just a little ald, as usually the ht-hearted and merry of the three of us, looked as if he fully appreciated the nitude of e had undertaken

Here ere, three--well, young h son shore, without an iota of experience, without leaned froathered from the conversations of Bombazo and Moncrieff And yet we had landed with the intention, nay, even the determination, to make our way in the new land--not only to seek our fortunes, but to find thelorious inheritance of courage, perseverance, and self-reliance Here is how Donald, ht:

'Look, here, Murdo,' he said 'This _is_ a land ofto be the busy bees to gather it It _is_ a silver land, isn't it? Well, we're the boys to tap it Fortunes _are_ made here, and _have_ been made What is done once can be done five hundred times

Whatever men dare they can do _Quod erat demonstrandum_'

'_Et nil desperanduald, I'm serious now, and I mean to remain so, and stick to work--aren't you, Murdo?'

'I a there, one ht say, on the confines of an unknown country, with all the world before us, shook hands, and our looks, as we gazed into each other's eyes, said--if they said anything--'We'll do the right thing one by the other, come weal, come woe'

Aunt entered soon after

'What are you boys so serious about?' she said, laughing merrily, as she seated herself on the couch 'You look like three conspirators'

'So we are, aunt We're conspiring together tocastles in the air?'

'Oh, no, no, _no_,' cried Donald, 'not in the air, but on the earth And our idols are not going to have feet of clay, I assure you, auntie, but of solid silver'

'Well, we shall hope for the best I have just parted with Mr Moncrieff, whoether and quite a nice chat He has made me his confidant--think of that!'

'What! you, auntie?'

'Yes,to take a wife It was so good of hi next week, and I'm sure I wish the dear man every happiness and joy'

'So do we, aunt'

'And oh, by the way, he is coive you good advice, and that means me too, of course'

'Of course, auntie, you're one of us'

Moncrieff arrived in good tiht his mother with him

'Ye didn't include my mither in the invitation, Miss M'Crimman,' said the Scot; 'but I knew youwithout the poor old creature, that I hardly care to move about without her now'

'Poor old creature, indeed!' Mrs Moncrieff was heard to mumble 'Where,'

she said to a nattily dressed waiter, 'will you put reatest care of it, madam,' the man replied

'Do, then,' said the little old dah I dinna mak' ony promises, mind'

A nicer little dinner was never served, nor could a snugger rooined It was on the ground floor, the great casearden, where grass was kept green and srew in luxurious freedo bananas, and where stephanotis and the charainvillea were still in bloom

When the dessert was finished, and old Jenny was quite tired talking, it seeo off to sleep