innumerable possibilities to a
party of determined explorers.

"Well," said Sir Reginald, "_we_ are a party of determined explorers;
and I think I may say that if the element of personal risk is likely to
enter into the act of exploration, it would but add to the
attractiveness of the idea. But we must not forget that we are not now
alone, as we were upon the occasion of our last cruise; we have two
women and a child with us now, who are absolutely dependent upon us for
protection. It is true that, so long as they remain shut up in this
ship, little harm can happen to them; and there is also the fact that,
in case of emergency, my wife knows enough to be able to raise the ship
into the air and navigate her beyond the reach of a pressing danger; but
I am not so sure that, in the event of such an occasion arising, she
would be able to find her way back again to the starting-point after the
danger had passed. And this, as I need scarcely point out, might prove
exceedingly awkward, both for them and for us--especially for us, who
would, in such an event, find ourselves stranded, without resources, and
with no possibility of knowing in which direction to look for the
missing ship. Whatever we decide to do, therefore, I think we shall be
wise to act circumspectly. I am quite willing to face any _legitimate_
danger that may be involved in our hunting or exploring undertakings;
but I confess that I should not be inclined to regard as legitimate any
such danger as that of these ladies being driven away from a given spot,
and lost."

"You are perfectly right, Elphinstone," concurred Lethbridge, gravely.
"The presence of the ladies and little Ida necessarily imposes certain
limitations upon our movements; and it is quite easy to imagine a dozen
or more undertakings that we might quite justifiably undertake, if we
were alone, that are not permissible under present circumstances. A way
out of the difficulty that you have indicated would, of course, be for
one of us men who understand the working of the ship to remain with the
ladies; and it will afford me the greatest possible pleasure to do so."

"No, no, certainly not; by no manner of means, old chap," struck in
Mildmay, with quite unwonted eagerness. "If anybody is to remain aboard
this ship I, obviously, am the man to do so. For, in the first place, I
am such a confoundedly lazy beggar that it would be no pleasure to me to
go toiling and groping my way mile after mile