ld advise you to take all the
things out and to arrange them in that way. It will take you a little
time, perhaps, but will save an immense amount of trouble throughout the
voyage."

Wilfrid had packed his trunks with things as they came to hand, but he
saw the advantage of following his fellow-passenger's advice, and
accordingly opened his portmanteaus and piled the whole of their
contents upon his berth. He then repacked them, Mr. Atherton sitting
down on his berth and giving his advice as to the trunk in which each
article should be placed.

The work of rearrangement occupied half-an-hour, and Wilfrid often
congratulated himself during the voyage upon the time so spent. When all
was complete and the cabin arranged tidily, Wilfrid looked in at the
next cabin. This was occupied by two young men of the name of Allen.
They were friends of an acquaintance of Mr. Renshaw, who, hearing that
they were journeying by the same ship to New Zealand, had brought them
down to Eastbourne Terrace and introduced them to Mr. Renshaw and his
family. The two were occupied in arranging their things in the cabin.

"Well, Renshaw," James, the elder of them, said when he entered, "I am
afraid I cannot congratulate you on your fellow-passenger. We saw him go
into your cabin. He is a tremendous man. He would be magnificent if he
were not so stout. Why, you will scarce find room to move!"

"He is a capital fellow," Wilfrid said. "I think we shall get on
splendidly together. He is full of fun, and makes all sorts of jokes
about his own size. He has travelled a tremendous lot, and is up to
everything. He is nothing like so old as you would think, if you have
not seen his face. I do not think he is above thirty-five or so. Well,
as I see you have just finished, I will go up and see how we are getting
on."

When Wilfrid reached the deck he found the vessel was off Erith, and was
greeted by his sister.

"You silly boy, you have been missing the sight of all the shipping, and
of Greenwich Hospital. The idea of stopping below all this time. I
should have come to call you up if I had known which was your room."

"Cabin, you goose!" Wilfrid said; "the idea of talking of rooms on board
a ship. I would have come up if I had thought of it; but I was so busy
putting things to right and making the acquaintance of the gentleman in
the cabin with me that I forgot altogether we were moving down the
river."

"Which is he, Wilfrid?"

Wilfrid laughed a