is town the professor, who knew this part of Russia well,
at once identified as Novgorod, nearly a hundred miles south of Saint
Petersburg. Captain Mildmay's suspicions were thus confirmed, and a set
of observations that were at once taken revealed the fact that the
_Flying Fish_ was drifting southward with the wind at the brisk pace of
close upon thirty miles an hour. This, however, was a matter of no
great consequence, since the travellers had plenty of time in hand. The
direction and speed of the wind having been ascertained, due allowance
was made for it, the engines were once more sent ahead, the course was
altered, and in a trifle over an hour the _Flying Fish_ was within sight
of the towers and spires of the Russian capital. The engines were then
slowed down again until the ship was just stemming the fresh breeze that
was now blowing, and an ascent was made until the cloud canopy had been
once more placed between the ship and the earth, thus preventing any
possibility of premature discovery.

This altitude was maintained until the sun had set magnificently beneath
the cloud horizon, when the four men entered the pilot-house and, the
professor taking charge as pilot, the descent to Pargolovo was very
leisurely commenced.

The chateau of Count Vasilovich was situate on the western side of the
lake and on the northern slope of the hills that stretch away in the
direction of Konnaia, at a point as nearly as possible eight miles from
the northern bank of the Neva; and as soon as the _Flying Fish_ emerged
from the stratum of cloud that shrouded the landscape, the professor
went out on deck with his binoculars to look for the spot at which he
had decided that the great ship was to be brought to earth. He soon
found it, and shouted his instructions to Mildmay, who was tending the
helm and the engines; and twenty minutes later the descent was quietly
and safely accomplished, the _Flying Fish_ finding a very easy berth
among some trees, within a hundred yards of the road leading from the
park entrance to the chateau, and within a mile of the latter.

It was by this time a quarter to seven, Russian time. The professor,
therefore, and Mildmay, who had volunteered to accompany him, quickly
made their way down the spiral staircase to the trap-door in the bottom
of the ship, and let themselves out, carefully closing the trap behind
them.

The night was overcast, dark, and inclined to be stormy, a cold, bleak,
blustero