and the
sorrowing girl was assured that, so far from being friendless, she would
find in her then companions four men upon whom she might always rely for
the warmest sympathy, the most kindly counsel, and the most substantial
help so long as their lives might last.

The accession of such a guest as Olivia D'Arcy to the little party on
board the _Flying Fish_ occasioned, it will readily be understood, a
complete and immediate change in all their plans. In the first moment
that they gave to the consideration of the matter they saw that it would
never do for a young, beautiful, and unprotected girl to accompany them
hither and thither in their wanderings, even were she willing to do so,
which they felt well assured she would not be. Two alternatives then
presented themselves to the choice of the party: the one being to land
her at the nearest port, and, furnishing her with the necessary means,
leave her to make her way to England alone and unprotected as best she
could; the other alternative involving the temporary abandonment of
their further projects and the immediate return of the _Flying Fish_ to
England. The first project was named only to be abruptly and
unanimously rejected by the entire party, the second being gladly
adopted by Sir Reginald upon his receiving from his three friends the
assurance of their hearty approval and acquiescence.

This decision was arrived at shortly before midnight on the evening
following Olivia's formal introduction by the professor to the remaining
members of the party, and thereupon--the _Flying Fish_ being at the time
afloat and making her way leisurely southward toward the Straits of
Malacca--an ascent to the upper regions of the atmosphere was at once
made, and the ship's head pointed homeward. The distance to be
traversed was considerable, but it was calculated that by travelling at
the ship's utmost speed along the arc of a great circle (the shortest
possible route between any two places on the earth's surface), the
journey might be accomplished in about forty-five hours, which, allowing
for the difference of longitude in time between their then position and
the English Channel, would enable them to reach the latter place at
about two o'clock in the afternoon of the day but one following. This
was rather an awkward time, if they still intended to maintain their
secrecy of movement and avoid observation, but under the circumstances
they resolved to risk it. Soaring, therefor