er it by the
whole party, and the gradual, though not perfect, elucidation of its
meaning, had perhaps the effect of softening the joyful intelligence to
a bearable extent.

"Now," said uncle Rik, while the perspiration of mental effort and
anxiety stood on his bald forehead, "this is the outcome of it all. Sam
clearly says `all well,' which means, of course, that Robin is alive--
thank God for that! Then he refers to a previous telegram, which, of
course, must be lost, for it hasn't come to hand. Bah! I wonder the
nasty things ever do come to hand. Anyhow, that telegram must have been
meant to announce their safe arrival at Bombay, undoubtedly."

"Of course--I see it now," said Mrs Wright, with a deep sigh.

"Of course," echoed Rik. "Then there's some queer reference to a ship
and a Fiery Queen, and a Stamps and a Shunks, and a Gibson, and a thief,
and three bags, and the port of London, which of course means London,
and a public-house named, apparently, Torture--"

"Tartar, I think, uncle," said Madge.

"Well, Tartar if you like, it's much the same if you catch him. And it
winds up with a girl--which is not surprisin'--who is to be
expectorated--"

"Expected, surely," said Madge, with a rather hysterical laugh, for the
conflicting feelings within her tended rather to tears.

"So be it, Madge--expected, with an unreadable name beginning with an
L,--and that's all; and a pretty penny he must have paid to send us such
a lot o' rubbish."

"It has brought the oil of gladness to our hearts, brother," said Mr
Wright, "and is worth its cost. But, now, what do you intend to do?"

"Do!" exclaimed Rik, who was never happier than when he could explode
his feelings in action. "I'll go this moment to the port of London,
find out the owners of the Fiery Queen, make particular inquiries about
the Stampses, Shunkses, and Gibsons, visit Torture public-houses--though
they're all that, more or less--and see if I can hear anything about
girls to be expectorated, with names beginning with L. There--these are
my sailing directions, so--up anchor and away!"

Uncle Rik immediately obeyed his own commands, and spent the remainder
of that day in what he styled cruising. And he cruised to some purpose,
for although he failed to obtain any information as to the girl, he
discovered the owners of the Fairy--not Fiery--Queen, who said that she
was expected home in a few weeks, but that they knew nothing whatever
about the rath