hat everybody was more than satisfied, and there was a general
consensus of opinion that, under these circumstances, it would be mere
waste of time to stay any longer at the island.

This decision was especially acceptable to Sir Reginald Elphinstone, for
it very soon became evident to him that Barker's daring attempt at
piracy had inflicted a very severe shock upon Lady Olivia, which quickly
developed into an attack of nervous prostration, that rendered an
immediate return home exceedingly desirable; the more so that Ida was
also suffering from shock, although not to nearly so serious an extent
as her mother. The whole question was fully discussed by the men after
dinner, on the evening of the "clearing-up" day, and of course, as might
be expected, it was no sooner recognised by the rest of the party that
their host was anxious to bring the cruise to a close, than they all
united in urging him to take Lady Olivia home at once, and put her under
the care of her own especial physician. Even von Schalckenberg, who had
been looking longingly forward to a hunt for those new zebras, carefully
refrained from mentioning even so much as the word "Africa," but, with
an inward sigh over the lost--or, it might be, only the deferred--
opportunity, joined his persuasions to those of the others. The final
outcome of the discussion was a decision to start for home forthwith at
top speed.

This decision arrived at, a chart of the world was produced, and from it
was determined the homeward course from that little, unknown spot in the
Pacific to Sir Reginald Elphinstone's charming Devonshire seat,
Chudleigh Park. Then the party bade each other good-night, and retired
to their cabins, Mildmay only lingering behind the others long enough to
raise the ship into the neutral belt, put her engines at full speed
ahead, and fix her self-steering apparatus on the ascertained course.

Their flight took them over the Philippine Islands, Burma, Northern
India, Afghanistan, the north-eastern corner of Persia, the southern
skirt of the Caspian Sea, the southern half of the Black Sea, across
Austria-Hungary, northern Switzerland, the north of France, and the
English Channel; and it was accomplished uneventfully, the ship coming
safely and quietly to earth exactly at midnight on the third day of
their journey from the Pacific, after slowing down over the channel to
avoid unwelcome observation on their arrival.

It was such a glorious May morning