"Yes, sir; and the next place is Saigon," replied the Frenchman; but he
was so much occupied with his duty that he would not talk much, even in
his own language.

The city was soon in sight, and the pilot began to feel about for the
bell-pull. He spoke to Louis, and the quartermaster was told to ring the
speed-bell. A little later, off the town, the gong sounded for the screw
to stop. The anchor was all ready, was let go, and the steamer swung
round to her cable. The Blanche had not so readily obtained a pilot as
her consort, and she was an hour behind her in arriving.

The Guardian-Mother was surrounded by boats as soon as she was at rest,
but the boatmen kept their distance till the port physician and the
custom-house officials came on board. Both ships passed the ordeal of
the examination, and the boats closed up. They were manned by all sorts
of people, and they were in all sorts of craft. The captain said that
most of them were Chinese sampans, and the boatmen were of the same
nation.

"There comes the Blanchita!" exclaimed Felix, who was walking about the
deck with his spy-glass under his arm.

"They got her overboard in a very short time," said the captain, who had
joined the company on the promenade. "I am glad she is coming, for I
desire to see the general."

The gangway had already been rigged out; and the launch came alongside
the platform, containing General Noury, his wife, the rajah, Captain and
Mrs. Sharp, Dr. Henderson, the surgeon of the Blanche, and the French
maid of the princess. They were warmly greeted on the platform by the
commander and Louis, and the ladies were assisted from the boat. They
mounted to the deck; and the usual hugging, kissing, and handshaking
followed in the boudoir.

"I am glad you have come, General Noury," said Captain Ringgold, after
he had shaken hands with everybody. "We have been shut up on shipboard
for some time now; and as we have come to a French city, I propose to
take my party to a hotel for a day or two. Of course you can do as you
please, General."

"I like the idea, Captain, if there is a decent hotel here," replied the
pacha. "What do you think, Zuleima?" he asked, turning to his wife.

"I like it very much; and the hotel cannot be any worse than some we
have lived in on our yacht voyages," replied the princess.

"Here is the medical officer, and he can tell us something about the
hotels," suggested the commander.

The doctor was consulted by the ge