Louis; for
all the party would have been glad to observe the shore.

"Because we all wish to get to Bangkok to-morrow evening. What is the
shortest way between two points, Louis?"

"A straight line, of course."

"That's the reason we keep her so far from the land. A north-west course
from a point outside of Obi Island to Cape Liant takes the yacht on the
course we are running now."

"That explains it all," replied Louis.

The watches were regularly kept, and the captain was satisfied that the
Blanchita was making over nine knots an hour. There was no excitement of
any kind on board, and the rest of the day was without anything worthy
of note. The Delhi had gone in behind an island, and in a few hours she
was no longer to be seen. And so it was all day Sunday. Cape Liant was
passed about one o'clock. A river pilot was taken about five o'clock. He
could not speak English, but Achang spoke to him in Malay.

"Ask him if the Guardian-Mother is in the river, Achang," said the
captain.

The pilot could not make out the name, and the interpreter described the
ship so that he understood him at last. The face of the Siamese lighted
up when he got the idea, and it was seen by the four that the ship was
there. Achang informed them that the Guardian-Mother was anchored in the
river.

The river was full of boats, and on many of them houses were built. The
people were new to the Americans, though they were not very different to
the ordinary observer from the Burmese and other natives they had seen.
Before the yacht was half-way up to the city, it was too dark to see
anything distinctly, and the party were more interested in the expected
surprise of their friends on board the ship than anything else.

When the yacht was within a short distance of the ship, the pilot
pointed her out. The singing in the music-room could be distinctly
heard, and everything was working precisely as Scott had said it would.
At the gangway the barge of the Blanche was made fast; and it was
evident that General Noury and his wife were on board, and perhaps
Captain Sharp and his lady. The boat was worked very carefully and
noiselessly up to the platform of the gangway, where several sailors
were seated.

"The Blanchita!" exclaimed Quartermaster Bangs, as he recognized the
craft. "Captain Scott! I will inform the captain that you are
alongside."

"Don't do anything of the kind, Bangs!" replied Scott. "Don't say a
word, and don't make any noise,