s of the recklessness manifested in "encouraging the
mutinous rascals in their defiance of authority."

"It will end," he dismally prophesied, "in our all being murdered in our
beds some night. Oh, dear! I wish I had never come to sea." Brook and
one or two more, though they said little, went about the ship for some
few days afterwards in evident perturbation of mind, though, to do them
justice, had they been _obliged_ they would have doubtless fought and
fought well. Rex Fortescue, perhaps, took matters the most coolly of
any. He not only went himself forward as usual to hear the yarn-
spinning and smoke his cigar on the forecastle during the dog-watches,
but he also took Violet with him (he having noticed long before that the
presence of a lady was always sufficient to ensure the strictest decorum
on the part of the men); thus showing the crew, as clearly as he could,
that he at least had no doubt of their loyalty.

Carter's suspension from duty removed the only discordant element which
had ever revealed itself on board, as far as the crew of the ship were
concerned; and thenceforward matters went smoothly enough on board the
_Galatea_ for the remainder of the passage, which proved to be a rapid
one, notwithstanding the delay experienced in rounding the Cape. It was
also an uneventful one--the foregoing occurrence excepted. Nothing
further need therefore be said respecting it, than that in good time the
ship safely arrived in Sydney's noble harbour, and, landing her
passengers, began forthwith the humdrum operation of discharging cargo.

CHAPTER FIVE.

HOMEWARD BOUND.

At the date of this story the discharging of a cargo was a much more
leisurely operation than it is at the present day; and Bob therefore had
several opportunities of taking a run ashore and looking round the town
and suburbs of Sydney. The passengers--such of them, that is, as were
residents in or near Sydney--had one and all given Bob most pressing
invitations to visit them whenever he could obtain leave; and on the day
but one following the arrival of the ship, a very prettily-worded and
pressing little note had come to him from Blanche Lascelles to say that
the friends with whom she and Violet were staying at Cookstown would be
delighted to make his acquaintance; so that Bob was never at a loss for
a place whither to direct his steps whenever he could get ashore. He
consequently managed to see a good deal of the place, and thoroughl