officers could understand his French, though they did not
talk English. They declared, however, it was utterly impossible to turn
back. They were already two minutes and a half behind time on account of
waiting for a party who had been very long in crossing the gangway.

Mr. Peterkin returned gloomily with the little boys to Mrs. Peterkin.
"We cannot go back," he said, "we must content ourselves with going on;
but I conclude we can telegraph from Malta. We can send a message to
Elizabeth Eliza and Solomon John, telling them that they can take the
next Marseilles P. & O. steamer in ten days, or that they can go back
to Southampton for the next boat, which leaves at the end of this week.
And Elizabeth Eliza may decide upon this," Mr. Peterkin concluded, "on
account of passing so near the Canary Isles."

"She will be glad to be rid of the birds," said Mrs. Peterkin, calming
herself.

These anxieties, however, were swallowed up in new trials. Mrs. Peterkin
found that she must share her cabin (she found it was called "cabin,"
and not "stateroom," which bothered her and made her feel like Robinson
Crusoe),--her cabin she must share with some strange ladies, while Mr.
Peterkin and the little boys were carried to another part of the ship.
Mrs. Peterkin remonstrated, delighted to find that her English was
understood, though it was not listened to. It was explained to her
that every family was divided in this way, and that she would meet Mr.
Peterkin and the little boys at meal-times in the large _salon_--on
which all the cabins opened--and on deck; and she was obliged to content
herself with this. Whenever they met their time was spent in concocting
a form of telegram to send from Malta. It would be difficult to bring it
into the required number of words, as it would be necessary to suggest
three different plans to Elizabeth Eliza and Solomon John. Besides
the two they had already discussed, there was to be considered the
possibility of their having joined the English party. But Mrs. Peterkin
was sure they must have gone back first to the Hotel de Noailles, to
which they could address their telegram.

She found, meanwhile, the ladies in her cabin very kind and agreeable.
They were mothers returning to India, who had been home to England to
leave their children, as they were afraid to expose them longer to the
climate of India. Mrs. Peterkin could have sympathetic talks with them
over their family photographs. Mrs. Peterkin's