The Adventures of Dick Maitland | Page 8

have
been forty-eight hours out I will know the function of every bit of
running rigging, and where to lay my hand upon it in the dark."
"Ay, I'll bet that you will, Dick," answered Humphreys, with
enthusiasm as great as Dick's own. "And I have not much doubt as to
your being able to get a berth as ordinary seaman; for you are a big
strong fellow, and for mere pulling and hauling purposes any skipper
ought to be glad to get hold of you. Yes, I think we may consider that
part of your problem solved. But what about after your arrival in South
Africa? How do you propose to proceed at the end of the voyage when
you have safely landed? For you must remember that in all probability
you will have no wages to draw; people who work their passages are
usually shipped at the princely rate of pay of one shilling per month."
"Yes, I know," said Dick. "Still, I shall have reached the scene of my
great endeavour without cost, and that is the important thing. After that
I shall of course be obliged to trust to my own push and `hustle', as you
call it, for it is impossible to make any definite plans at this distance
from the scene of operations."
"Quite so," agreed Humphreys. "And you must also remember that
there is always the element of luck, or chance, or whatever you please
to call it, in the background, and to be watched for. Opportunity often
presents itself literally at a moment's notice and in the most unexpected
fashion, and the one who profits by it is he who is alert enough to seize
it as it passes. But there is one thing you must do, Dick; you must take

with you a well-stocked chest of drugs, as well as your case of surgical
instruments; and, since you will not let me lend you any money to help
you on your way, you must allow me to make you a present of that
medicine chest just as a token of my appreciation of the way in which
you have conducted yourself as my pupil-- Nay, boy, you must not
refuse me, for if you do I shall be deeply hurt as well as seriously
offended."
"Very well, then," acquiesced Dick, "since you put it in that way, and
so very strongly, I will accept your generous gift with a thousand most
hearty thanks, not only for the gift itself, but also for the kindly feeling
that prompts it."
"My dear Dick," protested Humphreys, "there is really no reason at all
why you should feel so extraordinarily grateful, for in doing what I
propose to do I shall only be very inadequately repaying you for much
valuable assistance rendered, and much very pleasant companionship
during the time of your pupilage with me. And do not think that
because I have not expressed much voluble regret at this abrupt
severance of our connection I do not feel it, for I do very keenly, I
assure you; but I see quite clearly that the thing is inevitable, therefore
to complain about it would be both useless and foolish.
"Now, there is one other way in which I can help you; and when I have
explained to you how tremendous is the power which I propose to place
in your hands you will understand, more clearly than I could show you
in any other way, the absolute trust that I repose in you. For I tell you
this, Dick, in all sincerity, there is not another person in the whole
circle of my acquaintance--and it is pretty wide--whom I feel I could
safely trust with this power, so potent is it for evil as well as good. But
I am convinced that I can trust you; and that is why I have determined
to endow you with the ability to perform deeds which to many people
will seem positively miraculous.
"You have often expressed amazement at the uniform success which
attends my treatment of even my most difficult cases, both medical and
surgical, but especially the surgical; and I know, from the remarks you
have made, that you attribute those successes purely to the extent of my

knowledge. Well, of course, knowledge has something to do with it;
but the true secret of my success lies in the free use which I make of
hypnotism. Yes, no doubt you are surprised; for you have never seen
me employ any of the well-known methods of the ordinary hypnotist.
Very true. But my method is not the ordinary method at all; it is one
which I claim as my own exclusive discovery, and it is as far in
advance of ordinary hypnotism as that is in advance of the