Page:Dick Sands the Boy Captain.djvu/24

 lO DICK SANDS, THE BOY CAPTAIN. Not that in any emei^ency assistance of any kind could be expected from him ; on the contrary, in the case of dilïiculty he would be an additional burden ~, but thcre was evcry reason to expect a faîr passage and no cause of misgiving of any kind, so the propriety of leavîng the amiable en tomo logis t behind was ne ver suggested. Anxious that she should be no impediment in the way of the due departure of the " Pilgrim " from Waitemata, Mrs. Weldon made her préparations with the utmost haste, dischat|;ed the servants which she had temporarily engaged at Auckland, and accompanied by Httle Jack and the old negress, and followed mechanically by Cousin Benedict, embarked on the 22nd of January on board the schooner. The aiïiateur, however, kept his eye very scrupulousiy upon his own spécial box. Amongst his collection of însects were some very remarkable examples of new staphylins, a spccîes of carnivorous coleoptera with eyes placed above their head ; ît was a kind supposed to be peculiar to New Caledonia, Another rarity which had been brought under his notice was a venomous spider, known among the Maoris as a " katipo ;" its faite was asserted to be very often fatal. As a spider, however, bclongs to the order of the arachnida, and is not properfy an " insect," Benedict declincd to take any interest in it Enough for him that he had sccured a novelty in his own section of research ; the " Staphylin Neo-Zelandus " was not only the gem of his collection, but its pecuniary value bafficd ordinary estimate ; he insured fais box at a fabulous sum, deemîng it to be worth far more than ail the cargo of oil and whale- bone in the " Pilgrim's" hold. Captain Hull advanced to meet Mrs. Weldon and her party as they stepped on deck. "Itmustbe understood, Mrs. Weldon," hesaid.courteously raising his hat, " that you take this passage entircly on your own responsibility." " Certainly, Captain Hull," she answered ; " but why do you ask ? " " Simply because I hâve received no orders from Mr. Weldon," rcplied the captain.