my way in the first
instance to Australia, where Miss Trevor will leave the _Flora_. At
Melbourne I shall revictual, and thence proceed to Capetown, where I
shall do the like, sailing thence to England, with a call, perhaps, at
some of the Canaries, if necessary. Now, if you have no fancy for such
a long trip as that which I have sketched out, in so small a craft as
the _Flora_, you will of course be perfectly free to leave her upon our
arrival at Melbourne. But if, on the other hand, you are willing to
ship with me for the whole voyage, I think I can make it quite worth
your while, for I shall require at least two men whom I can absolutely
trust, and I believe you two to be those men. Now, what amount would
you consider to be adequate remuneration for the run home from here?"

"How long do you reckon the trip is going to take, sir?" inquired
Nicholls.

"Um, let me see," considered Leslie, making a mental calculation. "We
ought to do it comfortably in about one hundred and eighty days--six
months; call it seven months, if you like."

Nicholls considered for a few minutes, and then looked up and said--

"Would sixty pounds be too much to ask, Mr Leslie, taking everything
into consideration?"

"What do _you_ say, Simpson?" asked Leslie, with a smile.

"Sixty pounds 'd satisfy _me_," answered the boatswain.

"Very well," said Dick. "Now, this is what I will do with you both. It
will be worth a thousand pounds to me to get these valuables of mine
safely home, as I said, without attracting attention. If, therefore,
you will ship for the run home with me, rendering me all the assistance
necessary to take the _Flora_ and her cargo safely to some port, to be
hereafter decided upon, in the English Channel, I will give you my
written bond to pay each of you five hundred pounds sterling within one
calendar month of the date of our arrival. How will that suit you?"

"It will suit me better than any job I've ever yet dropped upon, and I
say `done with you, sir, and many thanks,'" answered Nicholls, with
enthusiasm.

"And you, Simpson?" demanded Dick.

"Good enough!" answered the boatswain, with his usual brevity.

"Very well, then; that is settled," said Leslie. "I will draw up an
agreement in triplicate at once, which we can all sign, each retaining a
copy; and that will put the whole matter upon a thoroughly ship-shape
and satisfactory basis all round."

Dick prepared the agreement there and then, and havin