obliged to keep the stone. It was red, as you see it now, when I looked at it next morning."

"Has it changed since?" asked Loraine. "Not once; and I have had no particular luck, good or ill."

Many another yarn was spun as the ship flew northwards fourteen knots an hour, and the Captain's great gold jug circulated at about the same pace. It was, as Tachbrook remarked, an apt illustration of the duplex motion which one finds in the planetary bodies. But the dinner-gong sounded at last, and Captain Grainger took his place at the head of the table; and later in the evening there was a dance upon deck in the light of the full moon, for there was a capital band on board.

The state-cabins of the Mighty Metropolis were unusually commodious; and when Harold Tachbrook took his passage, he was lucky enough to get a group of three with an anteroom, which formed a pleasant lounging place for the trio the last thing at night. This evening they sat half-an-hour, Tachbrook and Tom Jones, smoking cigarettes,

which Miranda deftly rolled for them. Tom was very quiet; he had been for the last few days. There were two things on his mind, and every day nearer home made their burden feel heavier. So Miranda and her father had most of the talk to themselves.

"Now you're in north latitude, child," he said, "for the first time in your life. Do you sniff your natural air? Do you pine for the land of oak, ash, and ivy? Are you in a hurry to see your grandfather?"

"Yes," she replied, "I am impatient; and yet-well I don't know, this life is so pleasant and amusing. I like the people on board— most of them. I like the lazy existence, while there is all the time a feeling that you are travelling tremendously fast without trouble to yourself. I think I should like to always make voyages in a big ship with pleasant company and pleasant weather."

"How would it be," said her father, "to have a private planet of your own, and go wandering all over the universe?"

"O, the idea is too vast. Perhaps it might suit me in my next state of existence."

Tom Jones smoked silently, watching the play of her mobile features, and thinking that he most certainly would like the voyage to last for ever.

"Do you think all those delightful stories were true, papa, that we heard to-day?"

"Grainger's was true enough, I don't doubt; but I wouldn't answer for any of the others. I don't think Loraine ever saw a ghost in the Albany; and I question the probability of Cincinnatus's lady whom he saw drowned in California and afterwards met alive in England."

"And Captain Stuart's talisman, papa?" "Stuart is a humbug!" growled Tom Jones his first contribution to the colloquy.

"Well, I think he is, rather," rejoined Tachbrook. "Still, I may perhaps believe in his talisman when I see it work."

"I'll be hanged if I would," said Jones. "O you are cross, Tom," said Miranda. "You have an evil demon in you, like poor King Saul, who I have always thought was abominably treated. Come, shall I exorcise the fiend with a song?"

Tom's eyes brightened as he said "Yes."

But then, again, he thought to himself that this frank and easy kindness was nothing but sisterly affection.

Miranda found her guitar, and sang

"Summer is here on the sea,

And the white foam flashes free
Around our ship all day.

We live in a pleasant dream,

While the infinite waters gleam,

And the swift leagues speed away-
No storm, no stay.

"Ah! could it ever be so!

Could the magical moments flow

Under serenest skies!

Could life be always youth,

And love be beauty and truth!

Ah! that is no mortal prize

Life flies, love dies."

"After that we'll all go to bed," quoth Harold. "Come, Miranda, give Tom a kiss to cheer him up."

She obeyed, and Tom dreamt of it.

CHAPTER VIII.

TORRICELLI'S TUBE.

"With lens of glass did Galileo probe

The secrets of the spheres; with tube of glass,
Wherein the liquid metal fluctuates free,

His famous pupil taught us how to search
The lair of storms."

FOR many days the great steamship passed pleasantly on its course, and there were agreeable instances among the parties in the sternsheets of that scientific flirtation which has been described as attention without intention. For many days the history of the voyage was eventless; and surely of a ship, as of a nation, it may be said that it is happy to be without a history. The only discontented voyager seemed to be Tom JonesJones of the two troubles. One we know;

VOL. I.

G