d material
comforts. It was, however, very trying to them when they bade good-bye
for the last time to their surroundings and shook hands with their old
servants.

"If ever we get rich in New Zealand, father," Wilfrid said, "we will
come back and buy the house again."

Mr. Renshaw shook his head. Just at present he was disposed to regard
himself as a martyr, and considered that he had made an unprecedented
sacrifice of his own wishes and comforts for the sake of his children,
and that no good could be expected to arise from the plan to which he
had consented. A good many friends had gathered at the station to say
good-bye, and it was some time after the train had started on its way to
London before any of the party felt themselves inclined to speak.

On arriving in town they went at once to lodgings they had engaged in
Eastbourne Terrace, facing the station. Once settled there, no time was
lost in making preparations for their voyage. The files of the
advertisements had already been searched and the names of the vessels
sailing for New Zealand and the addresses of their owners noted, and
after paying a visit to several shipping offices the choice of vessels
remained at last between the _Flying Scud_ and the _Mayflower_. They
were vessels of about the same size, both bore a good reputation as
sailers, and they heard excellent accounts of the captains who commanded
them.

The _Mayflower_ was to sail direct to Wellington round the Cape. The
_Flying Scud_ was taking in cargo for Rio and Buenos-Ayres, and would
proceed thence via Cape Horn. Her rates of passage were somewhat lower
than those of the _Mayflower_, as the route via the Cape of Good Hope
was that more generally used, and the number of passengers who had
secured berths by her were very much smaller than those who intended to
travel by the _Mayflower_. It was this that principally decided them in
choosing the western route; Mr. Renshaw was in a depressed and nervous
state, and his wife considered that he would be far more comfortable
with a comparatively small number of fellow-passengers than in a crowded
ship.

Marion quite agreed with her mother; and Wilfrid was also in favour of
the _Flying Scud_, as he thought it would be pleasant to break the
passage by putting into the great South American ports and getting a
glimpse of their inhabitants. Mr. Renshaw himself was quite satisfied to
accept his wife's decision, whatever it might be. The _Flying Scud_ was