that will be a journey of many hundred miles."

"O, no, sir," said Bruce; "we are going first to Moncton."

"O, is that the idea?"

"Yes, sir."

"And where will you go from Moncton?"

"To Shediac, and then home."

"And are you going to Newfoundland by that route, Tom?" asked the
doctor.

"Yes, sir," said Tom, gravely.

"From Shediac?"

"Yes, sir."

"I never knew before that there were vessels going from Shediac to
Newfoundland."

"O, I'm going to Prince Edward's Island first, sir, with Bruce and
Arthur," said Tom. "I'll find my way home from there."

The doctor smiled.

"I'm afraid you'll find it a long journey before you reach home. Won't
your friends be anxious?"

"O, no, sir. I wrote that I wanted to visit Bruce and Arthur, and they
gave me leave."

"And you, Phil, are you going home by the Antelope?"

"Yes, sir."

"You are going exactly in a straight line away from it."

"Am I, sir?"

"Of course you are. This isn't the way to Chester."

"Well, sir, you see I'm going to visit Bart at St. John."

"O, I understand. And that is your plan, then?"

"Yes, sir," said Bart. "Pat is going too."

"Where are you going first?"

"First, sir, we will sail to the Petitcodiac River, and go up it as far
as Moncton, where Bruce, and Arthur, and Tom will leave us."

"And then?"

"Then we will go to St. John, where Phil, and Pat, and I will leave
her. Solomon, too, will leave her there."

"Solomon!" cried the doctor. "What! Solomon! Is Solomon going? Why,
what can I do without Solomon? Here! Hallo!--Solomon! What in the
world's the meaning of all this?"

Thus summoned, Solomon came forth from the cabin, into which he had
dived at the first appearance of the doctor. His eyes were downcast,
his face was demure, his attitude and manner were abject.

"Solomon," said the doctor, "what's this I hear? Are you going to St.
John?"

"Ony temp'ly, sah--jist a leetle visit, sah," said Solomon, very
humbly, stealing looks at the boys from his downcast eyes.

"But what makes you go off this way without asking, or letting me know?"

"Did I, sah?" said Solomon, rolling his eyes up as though horrified at
his own wickedness; "the sakes now! Declar, I clean forgot it."

"What are you going away for?"

"Why, sah, for de good oh my helf. Docta vises sea vyge; sides, I got
frens in St. John, an business dar, what muss be tended to."

"Well, well," said the doctor, "I suppose if you want to go y