l Islands in the spring of morning, and at
breakfast-time we picked up the pilot, who had brought out a group of
reporters. I did my best for the good chaps (though it is mighty hard to
talk about exploring when you are thinking of another subject), and then
handed them over to my shipmates.

Towards seven o'clock at night we heaved up to the grey stone pier at
the head of Southampton Water. It was then dark, so being unable to see
more than the black forms and waving hands of the crowd waiting for us
with the lights behind them, I arranged with O'Sullivan that he should
slip ashore as soon as we got alongside, and see if he could find my
dear one.

"Will you remember her face?" I asked.

"And why wouldn't I? By the stars of God, there's only one of it in the
world," he answered.

The welcome we got when we were brought to was enough to make a vain man
proud, and a modest one ashamed, and perhaps I should have had a little
of both feelings if the right woman had been there to share them.

My state-room was on the promenade deck, and I stood at the door of it
as long as I dared, raising my cap at the call of my name, but feeling
as if I were the loneliest man in the world, God help me!

O'Sullivan had not returned when Treacle came to say that everything was
ready, and it was time to go ashore.

I will not say that I was not happy to be home; I will not pretend that
the warm-hearted welcome did not touch me; but God knows there was a
moment when, for want of a face I did not see, I could have turned about
and gone back to the South Pole there and then, without an instant's
hesitation.

When I got ashore I had as much as I could do to stand four-square to
the storm of hand-shaking that fell on me. And perhaps if I had been in
better trim I should have found lots of fun in the boyish delight of my
shipmates in being back, with old Treacle shaking hands with everybody
from the Mayor of the town to the messenger-boys (crying "What cheer,
matey?"), while the scientific staff were bringing up their wives to be
introduced to me, just as the lower-form fellows used to do with their
big sisters at school.

At last O'Sullivan came back with a long face to say he could see
nothing of my dear one, and then I braced myself and said:

"Never mind! She'll be waiting for us in London perhaps."

It took a shocking time to pass through the Customs, but we got off at
last in a special train commissioned by our chairman--half o