the mail. And besides, if Shirley's under
orders,--that is, the same thing as orders,--to go straight to Jamaica,
I don't know that we have any right to take him off his steamer and
carry him to Nassau. Of course, he might get to Jamaica just as soon,
and perhaps sooner, if he sailed with us, but we don't know it! We may
be delayed in some way; there're lots of things that might happen, and
anyway, I don't believe in interfering with orders, and I know Shirley
doesn't either. I believe he would want to keep on. Besides, we don't
really know yet that that's the _Antonina_."

A couple of hours, however, proved that Captain Burke's surmise had been
correct, and it was not long before the two vessels were abreast of each
other. The yacht had put on all steam and had proved herself capable of
lively speed. As the two vessels approached within hailing distance,
Captain Burke went up on the little bridge, with a speaking-trumpet, and
it was not long before Shirley was on the bridge of the other steamer,
with another trumpet.

To the roaring conversation which now took place, everybody on each
vessel who was not too sick, who had no duties, or could be spared from
them, listened with the most lively interest. A colloquy upon the lonely
sea between two persons, one upon one vessel and the other upon another,
must always be an incident of absorbing importance.

Very naturally Shirley was amazed to find it was his friend Burke who
was roaring at him, and delighted when he was informed that the yacht
was also on its way to Jamaica to meet Captain Horn. After a quarter of
an hour of high-sounding talk, during which Shirley was informed of
Burke's intention to touch at Nassau, the interview terminated; the
_Summer Shelter_ shaping her course a little more to the south, by
night-fall the _Antonina_ had faded out of sight on the northeast
horizon.

"I shouldn't wonder," said Captain Burke at dinner, "if we got to
Jamaica before her anyway, although we're bound to lose time in the
harbor at Nassau."

The company at the dinner-table was larger than it had yet been. Five
members of the Synod had appeared on deck during the speaking-trumpet
conversation, and feeling well enough to stay there, had been warmly
greeted and congratulated by Mrs. Cliff. The idea of a formal reception
had, of course, been given up, and there was no need of presenting these
gentlemen to the Captain, for he had previously visited all of his
clerical passeng