orn to govern."

"I am sadly out of my line then," said Eleanor laughing.

"Yes. You are. That is what I say. You ought to be this minute a
duchess--or a governor's lady--or something else in the imperial line."

"You mistake my tastes, if you think so."

"I do not mistake something else," muttered Mr. Esthwaite; and then Mr.
Amos entered the room.

"Here, Amos," said he, "you have made an error in judging of this
lady--she is no more fit to go a missionary than I am. She--she goes
about with the air of a princess!"

Mrs. Esthwaite exclaimed, and Mr. Amos took a look at the supposed
princess's face, as if to reassure or inform his judgment. Apparently
he saw nothing to alarm him.

"I am come to prove the question," he said composedly; then turning to
Eleanor,--"I have heard at last of a schooner that is going to Fiji, or
will go, if we desire it."

This simple announcement shot through Eleanor's head and heart with the
force of a hundred pounder. An extreme and painful flush of colour
answered it; nobody guessed at the pain.

"What's that?" exclaimed Mr. Esthwaite getting up again and standing
before Mr. Amos,--"you have found a vessel, you say?"

"Yes. A small schooner, to sail in a day or two."

"What schooner? whom does she belong to? Lawsons, or Hildreth?"

"To nobody, I think, but her master. I believe he sails the vessel for
his own ends and profits."

"What schooner is it? what name?"

"The 'Queen Esther,' I think."

"You cannot go in that!" said Mr. Esthwaite turning off. "The 'Queen
Esther'!--I know her. She's not fit for you; she's a leaky old thing,
that that man Hawkins sails on all sorts of petty business; she'll go
to pieces some day. She ain't sea-worthy, I don't believe."

"It is not as good a chance as might be, but it is the first that has
offered, and the first that is likely to offer for an unknown time,"
Mr. Amos said, looking again to Eleanor.

"When does she sail?"

"In two days. She is small, and not in first-rate order; but the voyage
is not for very long. I think we had better go in her."

"Certainly. How long is the voyage, regularly?"

"A fortnight in a good ship, and a month in a bad one," struck in Mr.
Esthwaite. "You'll never get there, if you depend on the 'Queen Esther'
to bring you."

"We go to Tonga first," said Mr. Amos. "The 'Queen Esther' sails with
stores for the stations at Tonga and the neighbourhood; and will carry
us further only by special agreement;