no reply, he suddenly pulled the handkerchief from his eyes
and assumed the pugilistic attitude with the celerity of one whose life
may depend on his action, but the only enemy to be seen was Robin, who,
having also pulled down the handkerchief, stood staring at his comrade
in mute surprise.

"They're gone!" cried Sam, bursting into a fit of laughter. "The
villains! The scoundrels! But who can they be? I fear there can be
little doubt as to what mischief they are up to."

"We have not the smallest clue to trace them by," said Robin, with a
vexed expression.

"Not the smallest. I don't even know what quarter of the town we are in
now," returned Sam.

"The handkerchiefs!" exclaimed Robin with sudden animation.

"Well, what of them?"

"They--they may have names in the corners."

Again the risible Sam burst into a loud laugh, as the idea of scoundrels
possessing any handkerchiefs of their own at all, much less having their
names marked in the corners; and poor Robin, whose memories of maternal
care had prompted the thought, felt some degree of confusion, which was
deepened when he discovered that the kerchiefs, with which their eyes
had been bound, were their own.

They were startled by a gruff voice demanding to know what they were
laughing at, and kicking up such a row at that time of the morning!

It was one of the guardians of the night, who became very polite on
drawing nearer and being informed, in a mild voice, by Sam that they had
lost their way and would be much indebted for guidance, for Sam thought
it best to say nothing about their adventure until they had had ample
time to think it over and decide what was best to be done.

Having been directed how to go, having lost themselves a second time,
and been directed again by another guardian, they found themselves at
last in the neighbourhood of the port, and here the sound of loud
voices, as if engaged in some nocturnal orgies, was heard in the
distance.

"As we seem in for a night of adventure," said Sam, "we may as well
accept our fate, and go see what it's all about."

"Agreed," said Robin.

Hurrying forward, they came upon a remarkable and picturesque scene.
The engineers of the Great Eastern had chosen the previous day for the
laying of the mile of land-line, with which the cable was to be
connected. The burying of it in its appointed home had commenced at
half-past six in the evening and had continued all through the night.
It was about