with all
the outs and ins of telegraphy, this laying of lines from island to
island in the China Seas?"

"It will, indeed, Robin,--a sort of compound or alternating
land-and-submarine line. At one time we shall be using palm-trees for
posts and carrying wires through the habitations of parrots and monkeys,
at another we shall be laying them down among the sharks and coral
groves."

"By the way," said Robin, "is it true that monkeys may prove to be more
troublesome to us in these regions than sparrows and crows are at home?"

"Of course it is, my boy. Have you never heard that on some of our
Indian lines, baboons, vultures, and other heavy creatures have
sometimes almost broken down the telegraphs by taking exercise and
roosting on the wires?"

"Indeed, I hope it won't be so with us. At all events, sharks won't be
much tempted, I should fancy, by submarine cables."

"There's no saying, Robin. They are not particular when hungry. By the
way, I saw you talking with unusual earnestness this morning to Jim
Slagg; what was the matter with him?"

"Poor fellow! you'd scarcely believe it, to look at him," replied Robin,
"but the lad is actually home-sick."

"Home-sick! Why, how's that? If we were only a few days out from port,
or even a week or two, I could understand it, but seeing that we are now
drawing near to the China Seas, I should have thought--"

"Oh, that's easily explained," interrupted Robin. "This is his mother's
birthday, it seems, a day that has always been kept with much rejoicing,
he tells me, by his family, and it has brought back home and home-life
with unusual force to him. With all his rough off-handedness, Slagg is
a tender-hearted, affectionate fellow. Somehow he has taken it into his
head that this voyage will be disastrous, and that he will never see his
mother again. I had great difficulty in showing him the
unreasonableness of such a belief."

"No doubt you had. It is unreasonable beliefs that people usually hold
with greatest tenacity," replied Sam, with a touch of sarcasm. "But
tell me, have he and Stumps never once quarrelled since leaving
England?"

"Never."

"I'm amazed--they are so unlike in every way."

"You would not be surprised if you knew them as I do," returned Robin.
"Ever since Slagg gave him that thrashing on board the Great Eastern in
1865, Stumps has been a changed man. It saved him from himself, and he
has taken such a liking to Slagg that nothing will p