scared, sir."

"Nobody hurt, Lancey?" I asked again, leaning against the side of the
house, and wiping my forehead.

"No, sir, nor 'urt," continued my faithful groom, hastening to relieve
my mind; "you've no need to alarm yourself, sir, for we're all alive and
'earty, though I must say it's about the wust buster, sir, that you've
yet turned out of 'ands. It sent in the kitchen winders as if they'd
bin made of tissue paper, sir, an' cook she went into highstericks in
the coal-bunker, Margaret she swounded in the scullery, and Mary went
into fits in the wash'us. But they're all right again, sir,--only
raither skeery ever since. We 'ad some trouble in puttin' it out, for
the cumbustibles didn't seem to care much for water. We got it under at
last, early this morning."

"This morning?"

"Yes, sir. It blow'd up about two hours arter you left for London, an'
we've bin at it ever since. We _was_ so glad your mother was away, sir,
for it _did_ make an uncommon crack. I was just sayin' to cook, not
'alf an hour since, the master would have enjoyed that, he would; it was
_such_ a crusher."

"Any of--of--the torpedo left, Lancey?" I asked, with some hesitation.

"The torpedo, sir. Bless your 'art, it went up to the 'eavens like a
sky-rocket, an' blowed the out-'ouse about to that extent that you
couldn't find a bit big enough to pick your teeth with."

On hearing this I roused myself, and hastened to the scene of
devastation.

One glance sufficed. The spot on which my laboratory had stood was a
blackened heap of rubbish!

"Now, mother," said I next day, after relieving her mind by a full and
rapid account of what had happened, "there is nothing that I know of to
detain me at home. I will therefore see to having the yacht got ready,
and we shall all go to sea without delay."

CHAPTER FIVE.

TERRIBLE TORPEDO TALES, FOLLOWED BY OVERTURNED PLANS.

Change of scene has almost always an invigorating effect on the mind.
Whatever be the nature of your mind, variety, rest assured, will improve
its condition.

So we thought, my mother and I, Nicholas and Bella, as we lay, one
beautiful morning, becalmed in the English Channel.

The yacht turned out to be a most charming vessel. Schooner-rigged,
with two cabins, one of which formed our _salon_ during the day, and the
gentlemen's bed-room by night, the other being set apart entirely for
the ladies. It was quite full. My mother and Bella filled it. Another