ut at this
minute I can't give any advice as to what ought to be done. The only
thing I can say, is that I don't want to desert Shirley. If I could do
it, I would board that vessel and take him off, but I don't see my way
clear to that just yet. I'm not owner of this yacht, but if Mrs. Cliff
will give the word, I'll follow that steamer to Rio Janeiro, and if
Shirley is put on shore and charges made against him, I'll be there to
stand by him!"

"Of course, we will not desert Mr. Shirley," cried Mrs. Cliff. "This
yacht shall follow that vessel until we can take him on board again. I
can't feel it in my heart, gentlemen, to say to you that I'm willing to
turn back and take you home if you want to go. It may be very hard to
keep you longer, but it will be a great deal harder if we are to let the
Captain of that ship take poor Mr. Shirley to Rio Janeiro and put him
into prison, with nobody to say a word for him!"

"Madam," said Mr. Arbuckle, "I beg that you will not speak of the
question of an immediate return on our account. This is in every way a
most unfortunate affair, but we all see what ought to be done, what it
is our duty to do, and we will do it! Can you give me an idea, Mr.
Portman, of the length of time it would probably require for us to reach
Rio Janeiro?"

"I think this yacht could get there in a week," said the sailing-master;
"but if we're to keep company with that hulk over there, it will take us
ten days. We may have trouble about coal, but if we have good winds like
these, we can keep up with the _Dunkery Beacon_ with half steam and our
sails."

"Mr. Litchfield," said Mrs. Cliff, "the Captain is up in the pilot
house. I can't climb up there, but won't you go and tell him that I say
that we must stand by Mr. Shirley no matter what happens, nor where we
have to go to!"

CHAPTER XXVI

"WE'LL STICK TO SHIRLEY!"

When night began to fall, the _Dunkery Beacon_ was still keeping on her
course,--a little too much to the eastward, Mr. Portman thought,--and
the _Summer Shelter_ was still accompanying her almost abreast, and
less than half a mile away. During the day it had been seldom that the
glasses of the yacht had not been directed upon the deck of the larger
vessel. Several times Mr. Shirley had been seen on the main deck, and he
had frequently waved his hat. It was encouraging to know that their
friend was in good condition, but there were many hearts on board the
_Summer Shelter_ which grew