e went on board the ship, and with his
own eyes and hands made a final inspection and trial of all her
machinery, to satisfy himself that everything was complete and ready.
At all events, however the professor may have passed those few hours of
precious solitude, when he finally handed over the keys to the yard
watchman and bade him "good-night" late on that summer evening, his
whole bearing and appearance was that of a thoroughly happy and
satisfied man.

CHAPTER THREE.

THE "FLYING FISH."

During the whole of the following week stores of various kinds necessary
to the comfort and sustenance of the voyagers were being constantly
delivered at the building yard, where they were received by the valet
and cook of Sir Reginald Elphinstone--the only servants or assistants of
any kind who were to accompany the expedition--and promptly stowed away
by them, under the direction of the professor, who was exceedingly
anxious to accurately preserve the proper "trim" of the vessel--a much
more important and difficult matter than it would have been had she been
designed to navigate the ocean only. By mid-day on Saturday the last
article had been received, including the personal belongings of the
travellers, the stowage was completed, and everything was ready for an
immediate start.

At three o'clock on the following Monday afternoon the voyagers met in
the smoke-room of the "Migrants'" as a convenient and appropriate
rendezvous, and, without having dropped the slightest hint to anyone
respecting the novel nature of their intended journey, quietly said
"Good-bye" to the two or three men who happened to be there, and,
chartering a couple of hansoms, made the best of their way to Fenchurch
Street railway station, from whence they took the train to Blackwall.
On emerging from the latter station they placed themselves under the
guidance of the professor, and were by him conducted in a few minutes to
the building yard. The professor was the only one of the quartette who
had as yet set eyes on the vessel in which they were about to embark;
and the remaining three naturally felt a little flutter of curiosity as
they passed through the gateway and saw before them the enormous
closely-boarded shed which jealously hid from all unprivileged eyes the
latest marvel of science. But they were Englishmen, and as such it was
a part of their creed to preserve an absolutely unruffled equanimity
under every conceivable combination of circumst