282 ALL ABOARD FOR SUNRISE LANDS.

“There are some nice stores here in Auckland ; railroads that go off into the
country; gas lamps, paved streets, a botanical garden and the telegraph. It is
a smart, lively town, I think, and has some pretty places. The big Pacific
Mail steamers call here, so that itis quite handy, if you feel like coming out.
You know there is gold in New Zealand. They find it in places in the rocks,
and then they say there is gold on the sandy beaches, and the gold hunters are
called beach-combers, and they think the sea in storms brings the gold ashore,
but they say it really comes down the rivers, and so into the sea. I don’t care
where it comes from, if some would only get into my pocket.”

Ralph closed his letter affectionately, and then went off to find Jack
Bobstay.

“TI have just written a letter to my auntie, Mr. Bobstay,”

“ Your auntie?”

“She is not really, only our old nurse.”

“Tt is nice to have somebody you can call auntie, and I did have one
years ago.”

Then Jack told ae about his boyhood, and the fishing village
where he lived with an aunt. He told
about the bluffs back of the beach, what
he did, how he dressed, his boat, and his —
dog Fido. He did it so graphically that
Ralph seemed to see a boy in a boat grasp-
ing the oars, a dog at his feet, a coil of
rope behind him, while drawn up on the
shore were several fishing-boats.

“That was when I was young Bobstay,”
said the old tar, “and now I’m just old

 

: =e
OLD JACK BOBSTAY. Jack Bobstay. }