sentence upon him, for
he could not exist there longer than a few days. No, I would not
willingly compass the fellow's death; I entertain no feeling of
vindictiveness toward him. Punish him, however, I will, and that pretty
severely, too, if only to deter him from engaging so light-heartedly in
similar enterprises in the future; and I think that perhaps the case may
be fitly met by marooning him on some suitable spot, where he can keep
himself alive without too great difficulty, but from which he is not
likely to effect his escape very readily."

"Yes," agreed Mildmay; "something of that sort ought to teach him a
good, wholesome lesson. And there should be plenty of suitable spots
not very far from here. We will have out the chart by-and-by, and see
what it has to tell us."

When, later in the evening, the chart of the Pacific was produced, it
was found that the outlying islands of the Caroline group lay little
more than three hundred miles to the northward of the spot at that
moment occupied by the ship, and it was at once determined to try among
them for a suitable marooning place. And, as Sir Reginald was quite
naturally anxious to get rid of his prisoner as speedily as possible,
von Schalckenberg descended to the engine-room and once more turned on
the vapour. The _Flying Fish_ then ascended to the neutral belt, and,
heading due north, proceeded for three hours at full speed; at the
expiration of which period her engines were stopped and she came to a
halt for the remainder of the night.

The dawn was just tingeing the Eastern sky with pallor when Mildmay
opened his eyes and, rising from his exceedingly comfortable bed, walked
over to the port and looked out. Everything was still wrapped in
darkness below him; but upon gazing steadfastly into the gloom for a few
minutes, he believed that he could descry certain darker patches here
and there, at no great distance, which ought to be--and doubtless were--
islands. And thereupon he slid his feet into a pair of soft slippers
and betook himself to the pilot-house, where, by the manipulation of
certain valves, he lowered the ship to within some three hundred feet of
the surface of the sea. He then proceeded outside to the deck, and
carefully inspected his surroundings from that situation. The dawn was
brightening fast, and objects below were beginning to show with some
distinctness. Therefore, although the ship being afloat in the air, and
her engines at rest