omise of quick despatch.

This matter arranged to my satisfaction, I had a little leisure on my
hands; and the first use I made of it was to call upon the Desmonds at
their hotel, in fulfilment of a promise extracted from me by them when
they were leaving the ship. I found them just about to sit down to
luncheon, at which meal they insisted that I should join them; and we
had no sooner settled ourselves at the table than I was pelted with
questions as to what I had been doing with myself since our parting; why
had I not called before? had I decided upon my future movements?
etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. I replied by enumerating a few of the
infinitude of business matters that a shipmaster usually has to attend
to immediately upon his arrival in port--especially if that port be a
foreign one--and, in conclusion, told them that, having resolved to
remain in Eastern waters until I should have either discovered the
interpretation of my ancestor's cryptogram, or should be driven to
abandon all hope of ever solving the riddle, I had accepted a freight
for Sydney, New South Wales; jestingly adding that they had better make
up their minds to take passage with me.

As I said this I observed a quick interchange of glances between Sir
Edgar, his wife, and Miss Merrivale; and then the former remarked--

"Well now, captain, it is very singular, but it is nevertheless a fact,
that no longer ago than this morning at breakfast we practically made up
our minds that, before returning home, we would go on to Australia, and
see something of that wonderful country. An old friend and college chum
of mine has settled there and gone in for sheep-farming upon a large
scale, and, our conversation happening to turn upon him a few days ago,
my wife made the curious discovery that he is the man who married the
bosom friend and companion of her boarding-school days; the result being
that a half jocular proposal of mine that we should extend our
wanderings to Australia and beat up the quarters of these good folk has
crystallised into the serious resolution to do so, provided that
suitable passenger accommodation to take us there can be met with. This
accident of your having accepted a freight for Sydney settles that part
of the question, of course, for we will go with you--that is, if you are
willing to have us again."

I protested, heartily and truthfully, that no proposal could give me
greater pleasure. Whereupon it was then and there arran