hat the governor had come more to see the
beautiful women on board than for any other purpose.

The barge was hastily dropped into the water, and sent for the
passengers of the Blanche, the third officer being in charge of the
message. The landlord of the hotel said he had come on board to pay his
respects to his late guests, and he would go down the river with them.
The barge returned after some delay, for none of her party were out of
their rooms. They warmly welcomed the governor and the captain of the
gunboat, who had been one of the guests the day before.

Both ships got under way at once, for the anchors had been hove short.
Mr. Sage and the cook were set to work. The governor divided his
attentions between Mrs. Noury and Miss Blanche; and the pacha was not at
all disturbed by his old Mohammedan notions about wives. The rajah took
Mrs. Blossom on his arm, and promenaded the upper deck with her under
the awnings.

"Faix! Oi belayve the ould feller manes to marry her," said Felix.

"Nonsense, Flix! He is a Mohammedan, and she is a Methodist, and neither
of them would consent to marry the other," replied Louis.

"He knows she's a fust-rate nuss, and that's what he needs. Oi'll give
my free consint to it," added Felix, as Louis was called away.

The three hours' run to the sea was a continuation of the frolic of the
day before, even including the games. At nine o'clock, with the ship in
a sheltered bay, breakfast was served; and it was as lively as all the
other meals had been. More speeches and a confusion of tongues followed.
The two ladies who had come off in the gunboat were the lady who was
said to have detained Mr. Froler so long in Saigon, and her mother; and
they were treated with the utmost consideration by all. The band played
during the breakfast, having been sent for by the pacha.

Everybody was so happy that Captain Ringgold remained three hours longer
than he had intended. Then the time to separate came; and the parting
was long and difficult, bringing about another confusion of tongues, but
it was over at last. The gunboat received her passengers for up the
river; but the craft did not go that way, and accompanied the two
steamers about five miles to sea, with the American flag flying at the
fore.

As the vessels were to separate finally, the gunboat fired a salute of
seven guns, which was returned by both ships; and then they sped on
their voyage of eight hundred miles to Manila. The captain ga