"Certainly, when others are concerned, Master Jack. But, by the way,
do you recollect the chimpanzee?"
"Yes, what about the rascal?"
[Illustration]
"Oh, I must not tell you, mamma would call me a chatterbox; you will
know by-and-by."
In the meanwhile Mary, on her side, was congratulating Toby, who kept
scampering between herself and Fritz, at one moment receiving the
caresses of the one and at the next of the other, with every
demonstration of joy. This had become an established mode of
communication between the young people when Fritz arrived from a
lengthened ramble; the intelligent, brute, in point of fact, had
assumed the office of dragoman.
"Ah, ah, Becker, glad to see you again," said Willis. "Your sons are
fountains of knowledge, whilst I am--"
"A very worthy fellow, Willis, and I know it," replied Becker, shaking
him heartily by the hand.
CHAPTER XII.
MAN PROPOSES, BUT GOD DISPOSES--THE CHOICE OF A
PROFESSION--CONQUEROR--ORATOR--ASTRONOMER--COMPOSER--PAINTER--POET--VILLAGE
CURATE--THE KAFIRS--OCCUPATIONS OF WOMEN--THE ALPHA AND OMEGA OF THE
SEA.
To the storm succeeded one of those diluvian showers that have already
been described. Rain being merely a result of evaporation, it was
evident that sea and land in those climates must perspire at an
enormous rate to effect such cataclysms.
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