“Yes, if you please,” he said quietly. “I have the boy’s interest at heart as much as you.”
As the time went on my aunt and Uncle Dick had two or three little encounters over this, in all of which Aunt Sophy was worsted; Uncle Dick quietly forcing her to let him have his own way in everything.
This set me thinking very much about the future, for I knew that in less than two months’ time Uncle Dick would be off upon his new expedition; one that was to be into the most unfrequented regions of the East Indian Islands, though he had said very little about it in my presence.
“I should like to know all about where you are going, Uncle Dick,” I said one afternoon, as we were working together.
“Why, my boy?”
“Because it is so interesting to know all about foreign lands, uncle.”
“Well, my boy, I think of going from here straight away to Singapore, either with or without a stay at Ceylon. From Singapore I mean to traverse most of the islands along the equator, staying longest at such of them as give me plenty of specimens. Then I shall go on and on to New Guinea, collecting all the time, spending perhaps four or five years out there before I return; that is, if the Malays and Papuans will be kind enough to leave me alone and not throw spears at me.”
“You will go where all the most beautiful birds are plentiful, uncle?” I said.
“Yes, my boy, collecting all the time.”
“Shall you go alone, uncle?” I ventured to say after a pause.