en
timid people rushed ashore, under the unfounded apprehension that they
were about to be carried off across the seas, and the return to the ship
to say goodbye yet once again when they found that their fears were
groundless. He had seen all this, and was quite determined that his
dear ones should not undergo such torture of waiting, he therefore so
contrived that his good-bye was almost as brief and matter of fact as
though he had been merely going up to Westminster for the day, instead
of to Peru for two years. Taking the train for London Bridge, he made
his way thence to Fenchurch Street and so to Blackwall, arriving on
board the s.s. _Rimac_ with a good hour to spare.

But, early as he was, he found that not only had Mr Butler arrived on
board before him, but also that that impatient individual had already
worked himself into a perfect frenzy of irritation lest he--Harry--
should allow the steamer to leave without him.

"Look here, Escombe," he fumed, "this sort of thing won't do at all, you
know. I most distinctly ordered you to be on board in good time this
morning. I have been searching for you all over the ship; and now, at a
quarter to eleven o'clock, you come sauntering on board with as much
deliberation as though you had days to spare. What do you mean by being
so late, eh?"

"Really, Mr Butler," answered Harry, "I am awfully sorry if I have put
you out at all, but I thought that so long as I was on board in time to
start with the ship it would be sufficient. As it is I am more than an
hour to the good; for, as you are aware, the ship does not haul out of
dock until midday. Have you been wanting me for anything in
particular?"

"No, I have not," snapped Butler. "But I was naturally anxious when I
arrived on board and found that you were not here. If you had happened
to miss the ship I should have been in a pretty pickle; for this
Peruvian survey is far too big a job for me to tackle singlehanded."

"Of course," agreed Escombe. "But you might have been quite certain
that I would not have been so very foolish as to allow the ship to leave
without me. I am far too anxious to avail myself of the opportunity
which this survey will afford me, to risk the loss of it by being late.
Is there anything that you want me to do, Mr Butler? Because, if not,
I will go below and arrange matters in my cabin."

"Very well," assented Butler ungraciously. "But, now that you are on
board, don't you dare to le