But pray, sir, do not call me Mr.Roy," said the youth, with a somewhat embarrassed air.

"If I am to be your assistant and familiar companion for two or three months, I hope that you will agree to call me Nigel.
Your man has done so already without asking leave!" "I will, on one condition." "And that is-- ?" "That you also dispense with the 'Mr.' and 'sir,' and call me Van der Kemp." "Agreed," said Nigel, "though it does not seem so appropriate in me as in you, considering the difference of our years." "Look here," said the hermit, turning abruptly to a small wooden shed which had hitherto escaped the youth's observation, so covered was it with overhanging boughs and tropical creeping plants, "these are my astronomical instruments." He pointed to a table in the hut on which stood several telescopes--and microscopes as well--one of the former being a large instrument, certainly not less than six feet long, with a diameter of apparently six or eight inches.
"Here, you see, I have the means of investigating the wonders of Nature in her grandest as well as her minutest scales.

And there," he added, pointing to a couple of large reflecting mirrors in strong wooden frames, erected on joints in such a way that they could be turned in any direction,--"there you have the secret of my sunshine.

One of these mirrors catches the sunshine direct and reflects it on the other, which, as you see, is so arranged that it transmits the rays down the natural funnel or chimney into the cave.

By means of chains connected with the mechanism, and extending below, I can change the direction of the mirrors as the sun changes its place in the sky, without requiring to come up here." "Very ingenious!" said Nigel; "but how do you manage when the mountain comes between you and the sun, as I see it cannot fail to do during some part of the day ?" "Simply enough," returned the hermit, pointing to a distant projecting cliff or peak.