and Tommy Bogey made up their minds to
give up digging for gold, and return to their native land. Their
companion, Harry Benton, preferred to remain in the colony.

Bax and Tommy had only made enough to keep themselves alive in the
gold-fields until their last year; but, during this year they had been
more successful. They hit on a good "claim," worked it out, and cleared
two thousand pounds! With this they resolved to retire, and push their
fortunes at home. Believing that they could realise more by carrying
their gold home in dust and nuggets than by selling it in the colony,
they had it packed in boxes, and took it aboard ship along with them.
The ship that chanced to be ready to sail for England at this time was
the "Trident," and almost the first face they saw on going aboard was
the well-known visage of Mr Denham!

Sea air had done him good. He looked strong and well--comparatively.
Bax and he started, and gazed in surprise on each other.

"How are you?" said Denham with some stiffness of manner.

"Thank you, very well," answered Bax.

Then both men felt and looked a little awkward.

"A-hem!" coughed Denham.

"Hope you're well, sir?" said Bax.

There was little in the words, but there was much in the tone in which
this was said. Mr Denham advanced and held out his hand. Bax shook it
warmly. They were sufficiently good friends during the whole of that
voyage, although there was just enough of remembrance of former days in
the breast of each to prevent anything like cordiality between them.

The homeward voyage was prosperous. Favouring gales wafted them on
their way. No storms arose to cause anxiety to the brave, or to terrify
the timid, and few incidents worthy of notice occurred until after they
had doubled the Cape of Good Hope. But soon after this they met with an
adventure which deserves record.

CHAPTER TWENTY.

A FIRE AT SEA.

On the troubled breast of the Atlantic, a little to the southward of
that great collection of sea-weed, known by the name of the Sargasso
Sea, lay a large ship.

She was in distress, for her flag was hoisted with the Union Jack down.
The nature of her distress was apparent from a column of thick smoke
that issued from the fore-hatch. The most terrible of all calamities
had befallen her--she was on fire!

That she was an emigrant ship was apparent from the great number of
human beings--men, women, and children--who crowded her decks. Before
the fire b