South.

The arrangement was that the Star of the South should proceed through
the Straits of Gibraltar to Marseilles, where we would join her, and
thence travel via the Suez Canal, to Australia and on to the South Seas,
returning home as our fancy or convenience might dictate.

All the first part of the plan we carried out to the letter. Of the
remainder I say nothing at present.

The Star of the South was amply provided with every kind of store. Among
them were medicines and surgical instruments, selected by Bickley, and
a case of Bibles and other religious works in sundry languages of the
South Seas, selected by Bastin, whose bishop, when he understood the
pious objects of his journey, had rather encouraged than hindered
his departure on sick leave, and a large number of novels, books of
reference, etc., laid in by myself. She duly sailed from the Thames and
reached Marseilles after a safe and easy passage, where all three of us
boarded her.

I forgot to add that she had another passenger, the little spaniel,
Tommy. I had intended to leave him behind, but while I was packing up he
followed me about with such evident understanding of my purpose that my
heart was touched. When I entered the motor to drive to the station he
escaped from the hands of the servant, whimpering, and took refuge on my
knee. After this I felt that Destiny intended him to be our companion.
Moreover, was he not linked with my dead past, and, had I but known it,
with my living future also?

Chapter V. The Cyclone

We enjoyed our voyage exceedingly. In Egypt, a land I was glad to
revisit, we only stopped a week while the Star of the South, which we
rejoined at Suez, coaled and went through the Canal. This, however, gave
us time to spend a few days in Cairo, visit the Pyramids and Sakkara
which Bastin and Bickley had never seen before, and inspect the great
Museum. The journey up the Nile was postponed until our return. It was
a pleasant break and gave Bickley, a most omnivorous reader who was well
acquainted with Egyptian history and theology, the opportunity of trying
to prove to Bastin that Christianity was a mere development of the
ancient Egyptian faith. The arguments that ensued may be imagined.
It never seemed to occur to either of them that all faiths may be and
indeed probably are progressive; in short, different rays of light
thrown from the various facets of the same crystal, as in turn these are
shone upon by the sun of Trut