great opportunity for boys.

But the family held to their Egypt plan, and were cheered by making the
acquaintance of an English party. At the _table d'hote_ Elizabeth
Eliza by chance dropped her fork into her neighbor's lap. She apologized
in French; her neighbor answered in the same language, which Elizabeth
Eliza understood so well that she concluded she had at last met with a
true Parisian, and ventured on more conversation, when suddenly they
both found they were talking in English, and Elizabeth Eliza exclaimed,
"I am so glad to meet an American," at the moment that her companion was
saying, "Then you are an Englishwoman!"

From this moment Elizabeth Eliza was at ease, and indeed both parties
were mutually pleased. Elizabeth Eliza's new friend was one of a large
party, and she was delighted to find that they too were planning a
winter in Egypt. They were waiting till a friend should have completed
her "cure" at Pau, and the Peterkins were glad also to wait for the
appearance of Agamemnon, who might arrive in the next steamer.

One of the little boys was sure he had heard Agamemnon's voice the
morning after they left New York, and was certain he must have been on
board the vessel. Mr. Peterkin was not so sure. He now remembered that
Agamemnon had not been at the dinner-table the very first evening; but
then neither Mrs. Peterkin nor Solomon John was able to be present, as
the vessel was tossing in a most uncomfortable manner, and nothing but
dinner could have kept the little boys at table. Solomon John knew that
Agamemnon had not been in his own stateroom during the passage, but he
himself had seldom left it, and it had been always planned that
Agamemnon should share that of a fellow-passenger.

However this might be, it would be best to leave Marseilles with the
English party by the "P. & O." steamer. This was one of the English
"Peninsular and Oriental" line, that left Marseilles for Alexandria,
Egypt, and made a return trip directly to Southampton, England. Mr.
Peterkin thought it might be advisable to take "go-and-return" tickets,
coming back to Southampton; and Mrs. Peterkin liked the idea of no
change of baggage, though she dreaded the longer voyage. Elizabeth Eliza
approved of this return trip in the P. & O. steamer, and decided it
would give a good opportunity to dispose of her canary-birds on her
return.

The family therefore consoled themselves at Marseilles with the belief
that Agamemnon would appear