eamer was made out going
east, and in answer to their signals she hove to; and upon going on
board the captain for the first time learned their position. This
proved to be about midway between Sumatra and Borneo, and the island lay
to the south-east as far as could be judged, though the officers of the
great steamer could not give it a name.

Nothing could exceed the kindness of the captain and officers, and at
their special request the major, and his wife and daughter, continued
their voyage in the steamer, which was bound for Canton, from which
place, if the steamer did not touch at it, the major would have no
difficulty in reaching his original destination.

It was rather a painful parting, the major gripping the hands of Captain
Strong and Mark very firmly as he said "good-bye;" while Mrs O'Halloran
and Mary displayed for the first time the womanly weakness that their
education as soldier's wife and daughter taught them to hide.

"Good-bye, my brave boy!" the major's wife cried. "Someday I hope we
shall come back to England, and then we can go over our island troubles
all again."

She kissed him very tenderly as she finished speaking; and then came
Mark's parting from Mary--a true frank boy and girl parting, in the hope
that some day they might meet again.

An hour later Mark was standing alone on the deck of the cutter,
fancying he could still hear the O'Hallorans' words as he watched the
hull of the steamer growing more distant, and her dense smoke trailing
behind for miles.

"Life is made up of meetings and partings, Mark, my lad," said the
captain. "That has been a pleasant friendship, and some day we shall
meet again."

Mark sighed, and went to sit by his mother and watch the sunlit sea, for
the cutter seemed to have grown dull and empty, and the gambols of
Bruff, and the pranks of Jack fell as flat as the cheery words of Billy
Widgeon and the stowaway.

CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN.

HOW THEY SOUGHT MOTHER CAREY'S CHICKEN, AND SHE WAS GONE.

Singapore was reached in due time, and after communicating with the
owners of his vessel, Captain Strong chartered a large schooner, engaged
some additional hands, and sailed once more, this time for the purpose
of reaching the _Petrel_--"Mother Carey's Chicken," as the men would
call her--and getting out the portion of her cargo that remained
uninjured.

There was some talk of Mrs Strong and Mark going back to England, but
Mark was so pressing to be allowed t