of the Orient Line of steamers, and one of the
finest ships in the world. I remember that in Smith's Dictionary of the
Bible it says that the ark was larger than any British man-of-war; and
probably the statement is still correct, though by a narrower margin
than when the learned editor completed his work. The Empress of India
and two other barbette ships of her class in the English navy have a
displacement of 14,150 tons, and the last built Cunarder, the Lucania,
exceeds 13,000 tons. The ark was 525 feet long, reducing her 300 cubits
to our measure, which is about the length of the Ophir."

"I should like to go on board of one of those great British steamers
that sail to the other side of the earth," said Mrs. Belgrave.

"Possibly we may have an opportunity to do so at Ismailia or Suez. I
will ascertain when we arrive at these places," the captain replied to
the lady; whose simple requests and hints were law to the gallant
commander, who was a bachelor in the best possible preservation.

The company returned to the promenade without any unnecessary delay; for
all of them were interested in the canal itself, and in the sights to be
seen on its shores. The great steamer ahead of the Guardian-Mother was
much nearer than when the party went below, and it soon appeared that
she had "taken the ground." But it proved to be only a temporary hitch,
for she went ahead again before the American craft reached her.

"They are at work all the time on the canal to prevent these accidents,
and several changes have already been made in the original plan of the
canal," said the commander. "Monsieur Lesseps, who projected this
wonderful enterprise, and whose energy and perseverance carried it
through to its completion, made a voyage through the canal in the
Austral, one of the largest of the Orient Line, though not so large as
the one ahead of us, for the purpose of observing any defects. The
result has been that several improvements have been adopted which it is
expected will remove all the difficulties."

"Is Monsieur Lesseps still living, Captain?" inquired Captain Scott.

"He is at the age of eighty-seven this year. His success with the Suez
Canal led him to undertake the construction of the Panama Canal. The
company was formed with the prestige of the great engineer's success on
this isthmus, and the shares were readily sold. The work was begun; but
it was a more difficult undertaking than Suez, and the company suspended
paymen