ally aware that Sam's speech was a mere fancy,
while the smashing of the soup tureen was a hard fact.

It may not, however, be out of place to remark here that the prophecy
made by Sam in Robin's dream, did afterwards become a great reality.

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT.

THE CABLE LAID.

"I say, Robin," said Samuel Shipton, as he encountered our hero and
Slagg that same evening in the streets of Bombay, "the government land
telegraph was reported this morning to have recovered its health."

"Well, what of that?"

"I have taken advantage of the lucid interval to send a telegram to
uncle Rik. No doubt your father has by this time received the telegram
we sent announcing our safety and arrival here, so this one won't take
them by surprise."

"But what is it about?" asked Robin.

"It is sent," replied Sam, "with the intention of converting uncle Rik
into a thief-catcher. That stupid waiter told me only this morning that
the time he followed Stumps to the harbour, he overheard a sailor
conversing with him and praising a certain tavern named the Tartar, near
London Bridge, to which he promised to introduce him on their arrival in
England; so it struck me that by telegraphing to uncle Rik to find out
the owners of the Fairy Queen and the position of the Tartar, he might
lay hold of Stumps on his arrival and recover our stolen property."

"But I hope he won't put him in limbo, sir," said Jim Slagg. "I've no
objection to recover our property, but somehow I don't like to have the
poor fellow transported. You see I can't help thinkin' he was
half-cracked when he did it."

"He must take his chance, I suppose," said Sam, thoughtfully. "However,
the telegram is off, and, if it ever reaches him, uncle Rik will act
with discretion."

"I agree with Jim," said Robin, "and should be sorry to be the means of
ruining our old comrade."

"It did not strike me in that light," returned Sam, a little troubled at
the thought. "But it can't be helped now. In any case I suppose he
could not be tried till we appear as witnesses against him."

"I ain't much of a lawyer," said Slagg, "but it do seem to me that they
couldn't very well take him up without some proof that the property
wasn't his."

"It may be so," returned Sam; "we shall see when we get home. Meanwhile
it behoves us to square up here, for the Great Eastern starts early
to-morrow and we must be on board in good time to-night."

Now, you must not imagine, good read