t alone to join their father and mother in
New Zealand."

"In that case, Mrs. Renshaw, I had better leave the matter in your
hands."

"That will be very simple, Mr. Atherton, as I have already spoken to
them," and she at once got up and moved across to two girls of about
thirteen and seventeen respectively, who were standing together watching
the passing ships, and entered into conversation with them. When she
proposed that, as they were in the same cabin with Marion, they should
sit near each other at table, they gladly agreed, saying, however, that
they had been placed under the special care of the captain, and as he
had said that he would keep them under his eye, they were afraid he
might want them to sit near him.

"I will speak to the captain myself," Mrs. Renshaw said. "I daresay he
will be rather glad to have the responsibility taken off his hands,
especially if I propose, which I will if you like, to take you under my
general charge."

"Oh, we should like that very much," the elder of the two girls said.
"It seems so very strange to us being here among so many people without
any lady with us. We should be so much obliged to you if you would take
us under your wing."

"I can quite understand your feelings, my dears, and will speak to the
captain directly. I see that he is disengaged. If we were under sail
there would not be much chance of getting a word with him; but as the
tug has us in charge, I see that he has time to chat to the passengers."

A few minutes later the captain left the gentleman with whom he was
speaking and came along the deck. The Renshaws had made his acquaintance
when they first came down to see their cabins.

"How are you, Mrs. Renshaw?" he said as he came up to her. "We have fine
weather for our start, have we not? It is a great thing starting fair,
as it enables people to settle down and make themselves at home."

"I have been chatting with the Miss Mitfords, captain; they are in the
cabin with my daughter. They tell me that they are under your special
charge."

"Yes, they are among the number of my responsibilities," the captain
said smiling.

"They naturally feel rather lonely on board from having no lady with
them, and have expressed their willingness to put themselves under my
charge if you will sanction it. It will be pleasant both for them and my
daughter, and they can sit down with us at meals, and make a party
together to work or read on deck."

"I shall be extremel