nd poking at the cliff-face as industriously and with as deep
an absorption as though so important a function as afternoon tea was
quite unknown to him.

"Let us call the beggar up with one of his own telephones," said
Lethbridge, in response to some remark of Lady Olivia's anent the
professor's absorption. "If we don't he will stay there until darkness
falls, and then wonder how the dickens he got there. Here, Ida, come
you and call up the professor, sweetheart; he will perhaps listen to
you, though it is very doubtful whether he would to me." And, drawing
his telephone from his pocket, he pressed the button, while Ida--with
whom the ex-colonel was a great favourite--came and stood obediently by
his side. As usual, everybody else's telephone, as well as all the
bells in the ship, at once started ringing.

"Now," continued Lethbridge, gravely, "that is the fault that I have to
find with these otherwise wonderfully clever contrivances of von
Schalckenberg's. You want to communicate with a certain person by means
of your own instrument, and you at once attract the attention of
everybody else who happens to possess one. I must remember to ask the
worthy man if he cannot remedy that defect. Ah, there he is," as the
bells ceased for a moment to tinkle. "Now then, Ida, put this in your
ear, and then tell the professor, through that mouthpiece, that
afternoon tea is on."

The child at once did so, calling into the receiver--

"Professor, Professor, can you hear me?"

"Oh yes, of course I can," replied the professor's voice. "What is the
matter, my dear?"

"Tea is ready!" proclaimed Ida, shortly.

"Is that so?" answered the professor. "All right, little one; I should
like a cup of tea very much, for I am terribly thirsty. But I cannot
come just now, for I am very busy. So you take your tea yourself, and
enjoy it, eh?"

"What are you so dreadfully busy about, Professor?" demanded the child.

"I am busy at the making of my fortune," answered the professor. "You
can tell your papa that I believe I have found the heart of the ruby
mine; and, if so, there will be rubies enough for us all and to spare.
I will tell you more about it when I turn up for dinner."

The professor duly turned up, very hot and tired--not to say dirty--as
the first star made its appearance in the eastern sky; and the result of
his afternoon's labour was represented by some forty rubies of a size,
and fire, and richness of colour that