retorted the professor, good-humouredly. "Ah, well, we
shall see; we shall see! Meanwhile, patience and courage, little one; I
think I can already see my way to the bringing of this business to a
satisfactory conclusion. And now, come with me, and let me introduce
you to a very dear and gentle lady friend of mine; and, later, to three
men friends--who will not only listen to your story with the most
sympathetic interest, but will also--unless I am vastly mistaken--assist
me to right effectually the wrong that has been done to your father and
my friend, Colonel Sziszkinski."

So saying, the professor conducted his young Russian friend to Lady
Elphinstone's boudoir, where, having craved permission to enter, he
forthwith introduced his _protegee_ to his hostess, and briefly
recapitulated the story of wrong to which he had so recently listened.
Lady Olivia listened with deep sympathy to the story, and at its
conclusion, said--

"Of course, my dear Professor, there can be no question as to what you
ought to do; if you really have the power to help your friend, this poor
girl's father, in his present terrible situation, you must go to his
assistance, regardless of everything else, and we must manage as best we
can without you. We shall heartily wish you the most complete success
in your arduous undertaking, but we shall miss you dreadfully; and your
absence will be a terrible disappointment to us all."

"Ah, dear lady, you will completely spoil me if you talk like that,"
protested the professor. "But," he continued, "as to my leaving you, I
do not contemplate any such step; indeed, it is only by remaining with
you, and by virtue of the assistance of your good husband and the
others, that I hope to be of any real assistance to my friend. My idea
is this. If you all consent, we will, in the first place, go to Saint
Petersburg in the _Flying Fish_, seize Count Vasilovich--I know his
chateau well, and I already have a plan whereby we can obtain possession
of his person without any one being the wiser--and compel him to
disclose everything that he knows respecting the colonel. Then, armed
with this information, we can easily follow and overtake the
convict-ship, rescue my friend from his gaolers, give them Vasilovich in
his place, and--_voila tout_!"

"That seems simple enough, so far as my limited understanding of such
matters will permit me to judge, and I have not the least doubt that,
when you have laid the facts