ched the Great Eastern, he soon found himself
in what may be termed a lost condition. At first he was disappointed,
for he saw her at a distance, and it is well-known that distance lends
deception as well as "enchantment to the view." Arrived alongside,
however, he felt as if he had suddenly come under the walls of a great
fortress or city.

Presently he stood on the deck of the Big Ship, as its familiars called
it, and, from that moment, for several days, was, as we have said, in a
lost condition. He was lost in wonder, to begin with, as he gazed at
the interminable length and breadth of planking styled the deck, and the
forest of funnels, masts, and rigging, and the amazing perspective,
which caused men at the further end from where he stood to look like
dolls.

Then he was lost in reality, when he went below and had to ask his way
as though he were wandering in the labyrinths of a great city. He
felt--or thought he felt--like a mere mite in the mighty vessel. Soon
he lost his old familiar powers of comparison and contrast, and ere long
he lost his understanding altogether, for he fell down one of the
hatchways into a dark abyss, where he would probably have ended his
career with electric speed if he had not happily fallen into the arms of
a human being, with whom he rolled and bumped affectionately, though
painfully, to the bottom of the stair.

The human being, growled intense disapprobation during the process, and
Robin fancied that the voice was familiar.

"Come, I say," said the being, remonstratively, "this is altogether too
loving, you know. Don't squeeze quite so tight, young 'un, whoever you
be."

"Oh, I _beg_ your pardon," gasped Robin, relaxing his grasp when they
stopped rolling; "I'm _so_ sorry. I hope I haven't hurt you."

"Hurt me!" laughed Jim Slagg, for it was he; "no, you small electrician,
you 'aven't got battery-power enough to do _me_ much damage; but what
d'ye mean by it? Is this the way to meet an old friend? Is it right
for a Wright to go wrong at the wery beginnin' of his career? But come,
I forgive you. Have you been introdooced to Capting Anderson yet?"

"No! Who is he?"

"Who is he, you ignorant crokidile! why, he's the capting of the Great
Eastern, the commander o' the Big Ship, the Great Mogul o' the
quarter-deck, the king o' the expedition. But, of course, you 'aven't
bin introdooced to him. He don't associate much with small fry like
us--more's the pity, for it m