followed Fred's example and went to bed as quickly
as possible. They awoke early, and later in the day reached Liverpool
and went aboard the _Twilight_, which was to be their home for five or
six weeks.

* * * * *

The _Twilight_ was a cargo boat which had accommodation for twenty
saloon passengers, but she rarely carried that number, as, her speed
being but ten knots an hour, most people proceeding to China travelled
by a faster and, consequently, more expensive steamer.

Soon after she had left Liverpool, Fred, Charlie, and Ping Wang began to
wonder where the other passengers were.

'They can't possibly be sea-sick already,' Charlie declared, and then
seeing the chief steward he inquired how many passengers they had
aboard.

'Only you three gentlemen,' the steward answered.

Fred and Charlie looked at each other in amazement. They had fully
expected that there would be all sorts of amusements to break the
monotony of their long voyage, and their disappointment was great.
However, when they found that in consequence of their being the only
passengers each might have a cabin to himself, their discontent quickly
passed away. And when they got well out to sea they had plenty of
amusements, for the captain had the shuffle-board, deck quoits, and
other games brought out, and with the second officer and chief engineer
played the passengers.

When the three passengers wearied of deck games, they sat on the poop
reading some of the books which they had borrowed from the ship's
library. Fred sometimes brought out his medical books, but he obtained
more practical than theoretical knowledge that voyage, for the ship's
doctor--a young fellow who had been recently qualified and was taking a
sea voyage, and small pay in return for his medical services--was
completely prostrated by sea-sickness, and utterly useless as a doctor.
Fred attended to him, doctored such of the crew as needed it, and
successfully set a stoker's dislocated forefinger.

(_Continued on page 285._)

MICE ON A SUBMARINE.

The sailors in our submarines have found out a simple device to protect
their lives whilst on their 'under-sea' trips. Every submarine that goes
to sea takes out a couple of mice. If one of these mice shows symptoms
of distress, it is a sure sign that the time for coming to the surface
has arrived, and that the air of the closed box needs replenishing from
the fresh air.

X.

THE FATH