there was a pleasurable excitement at the thought
that they should next day see the land that was to be their home, and
the knowledge that they should all be staying for a few days at
Wellington seemed to postpone the break-up of their party for some
little time.

No sooner was the anchor dropped than a number of shore boats came off
to the ship. Those who had friends on shore and were expecting to be met
watched anxiously for a familiar face, and a cry of delight broke from
the two Mitfords as they saw their father and mother in one of these
boats. After the first joyful greeting was over the happy little party
retired to the cabin, where they could chat together undisturbed, as all
the passengers were on deck. Half an hour later they returned to the
deck, and the girls led their father and mother up to Mrs. Renshaw.

"I have to thank you most heartily, Mrs. Renshaw, for your great
kindness to my girls. They tell me that you have throughout the voyage
looked after them as if they had been your own daughters."

"There was no looking after required, I can assure you," Mrs. Renshaw
said. "I was very pleased, indeed, to have them in what I may call our
little party, and it was a great advantage and pleasure to my own girl."

"We are going ashore at once," Mr. Mitford said. "My girls tell me that
you have no acquaintances here. My own place is hundreds of miles away,
and we are staying with some friends while waiting the arrival of the
ship, and therefore cannot, I am sorry to say, put you up; but in any
other way in which we can be of assistance we shall be delighted to give
any aid in our power. The girls say you are thinking of making this
your head-quarters until you decide upon the district in which you mean
to settle. In that case it will, of course, be much better for you to
take a house, or part of a house, than to stop at an hotel; and if so it
will be best to settle upon one at once, so as to go straight to it and
avoid all the expenses of moving twice. It is probable that our friends,
the Jacksons, may know of some suitable place, but if not I shall be
glad to act as your guide in house-hunting."

Mr. Renshaw here came up and was introduced to Mr. Mitford, who repeated
his offer.

"We shall be extremely glad," Mr. Renshaw replied; "though I really
think that it is most unfair to take you even for a moment from your
girls after an absence of five years."

"Oh, never mind that," Mr. Mitford said; "we shall l