he saved when he was attacked by some beast or other, and this man as much

as hinted that he knew of a place where treasure might be concealed; but

as Barnett was interested in beasts and plants and that sort of thing, and

had a comfortable fortune, he never troubled himself about it one way or

another. Well, he offered to give me a letter to this man, and he regarded

it as just possible that the fellow, who seems to be a descendant of some

of the people who were members of the Incas' court at the time the

Spaniards came, may have some knowledge of the rich mines that were then

closed down, and that he may be able to show them to me, from his feeling

of gratitude to Barnett. It is but one chance in a million, and as I can

see no other possibility of making a fortune in two years, I am going to

try it."

 

"Of course you will," the lad said excitedly, "and I should think that you

would take me with you."

 

"I certainly had not dreamt of doing so, Bertie. But if I have to keep on

getting fresh outfits for you, the idea has come into my mind during the

last half-hour that I could not do better."

 

"Harry, you are sure to be disappointed lots of times before you hit on a

treasure, and then if you were all by yourself you would get down in the

mouth. Now, I should be able to keep you going, pat you on the back when

you felt sick, help you to fight Indians and wild beasts, and be useful in

all sorts of ways."

 

"That is like your impudence, Bertie," the other laughed. "Seriously, I

know I shall be a fool to take you, and if I really thought I had any

chance to speak of I should not do so; but though I am going to try, I

don't expect for a moment that I shall succeed. I feel that really it

would be a comfort to have someone with me upon whom I could rely in such

a life as I should have to lead. It certainly would be lonely work for one

man. The only doubt in my mind is whether it will be fair to you--you have

got your profession."

 

"But I can go back to it if nothing good turns up, Harry. I can visit the

firm and tell them that I am going to travel with you for a bit, and hope

that on my return they will take me back again and let me finish my

apprenticeship. I should think they would be rather glad, for they always

build and never buy ships, and it will take them six months to replace the

_Stella_. Besides, it will do me a lot of good. I shall pick up Spanish--

at least, I suppose that is the language they speak out there--and shall

learn no end of things. As you know, we trade with the west coast of

America, so I should be a lot more useful to the firm when I come back

than I am now."