hose who were giving him sundry rewarding tokens of
their joy for his news. Eleanor looked over the waste of waters
eastward, feeling as if her breath had been taken away.

So much of her journey done! The rest seemed, and was, but little.
Australia was almost--_home_. And what sort of a home? And could Mr.
Rhys possibly be at Sydney to meet her? Eleanor knew he could not; yet
the physical possibility would assert itself in spite of all the
well-allowed moral impossibility. But at any rate at Sydney she would
find letters; at Sydney she would find, perhaps very soon, the means of
making the remainder of her voyage; at Sydney she could no longer
prevent herself from _thinking_. Eleanor had staved off thought all the
way by wisely saying and insisting to herself "Time enough when I get
to Sydney." Yes; she was nearing home now. So deep, so engrossing, were
her meditations and sensations, that Mr. Amos who had come up to
congratulate her on the approaching termination of the voyage, spoke to
her once and again without being heard. He could not see her face, but
the little straw bonnet was as motionless as if its wearer had been in
a dream. He smiled and went away.

Then appeared on the distant horizon somewhat like a low blue cloud,
which gathered distinctness and strength of outline by degrees. It was
the land, beyond doubt; the coast of New Holland itself, as the captain
informed Eleanor; and going on and passing through Bass's Strait the
vessel soon directed her course northward. Little remained then before
reaching port.

It was under a fair and beautiful sunlight morning that they were at
last approaching Sydney. Mr. Amos was on deck as well as Eleanor, the
captain standing with them; for a pilot had come on board; the captain
had given up his charge, and was in command no longer. Before the
watching three stretched a low unpromising shore of sandstone cliffs
and sand.

"It is good to see it," said Mr. Amos; "but in this first view it don't
shew for much."

"Don't shew for anything," said Captain Fox. "Wait till we get inside
the Heads. It don't shew for anything; but it's the most glorious land
the sun shines on!"

"In what particular respects?" said Mr. Amos.

"In every respect of making a living and enjoying it," said the
captain. "That makes a good land, don't it?"

Mr. Amos allowed that it did.

"It's the most beautiful country, if you come to that," Captain Fox
went on;--"that's what Miss Powle think