he book, he left it me in his will, probably little thinking,
poor fellow! that it was fated to go with him to the bottom of the sea.
On being made acquainted with the circumstances of his death, and also
with his bequest, I surmised at once that the precious volume must have
been in his immediate possession when the ship foundered. And having
visited him on board, as well as had occasion to notice the place in
which the book was ordinarily kept, I had very little difficulty in
placing my hand upon it."

"I suppose matters are in a very terrible state on board the wreck?"
asked the baronet.

"So bad," was the reply, "that, knowing what I now know, I cannot think
of any motive powerful enough to induce me to repeat my visit. I had
two very strong motives for going on board the ship; and, as each
successive horror presented itself, I thought, surely there can be
nothing worse than this; and I pressed onward, only to encounter greater
and still greater horrors at every step. But I would not go there again
even to achieve what I have achieved to-day."

"Ah!" said the baronet, "I have a great curiosity to see what the ship
herself looks like after such a tremendous catastrophe; but, if the
sights to be witnessed on board her be one-tenth part so bad as your
words would lead one to suppose, I would not go near her for the world."

"Nor I," said the colonel.

"Nor I," added Mildmay.

"You are wise, gentlemen," remarked the professor. "I can quite
understand your curiosity; but, were you to gratify it, your pleasure
would be effectually destroyed for the remainder of the voyage."

"That reminds me to ask the question, Where are we going next?" said Sir
Reginald.

The professor shrugged his shoulders and spread out his hands, palms
upwards.

"The world is all before you where to choose," he replied. "You have
only to name a place, and it will be strange indeed if we cannot get
there."

"Well, for my own part, I am of opinion that it will be wise for us to
devote this trip as far as possible to the visiting of such spots as it
is difficult or impossible to reach by any other means. What say you,
gentlemen?"

This from the baronet.

The others expressed their full coincidence in this opinion.

"Very well, then," continued Sir Reginald; "my proposal is that, as the
days are now at their longest, and this is therefore the most favourable
time for such an expedition--and as, moreover, the _Flying Fish's_
store