wind in light weather--a whacking big
un, with a `jack' as long as the bowsprit, and a yard as long as the
lower-mast. I'm beginning to think we are under-sparred and under-
sailed."

I could scarcely agree with Bob in this. It is true that in fine
weather we could carry considerably more canvas than we had; but I had a
thought for the heavy weather also, and I knew that as soon as it came
on to blow we should find our present sails quite as large as we could
manage. Nevertheless, I made up my mind that we _would_ have a balloon-
topsail, as the voyage would be a long one, and it was possible that we
might have spells of light winds for days together, when such a sail
could be carried to the utmost advantage.

Notwithstanding the change of topsails, we still continued to creep away
from the _Emerald_, and when we let go our anchor in Weymouth Roads,
about six o'clock the next morning, she was still a good three miles
outside of us; the wind had, in the meantime, fallen away so light, that
it was not until after we had breakfasted that she drifted slowly in and
brought up close to us.

Shortly afterwards, Lord--came on board, accompanied by two or three
friends; and his astonishment was great when he found that we only
mustered two hands, all told. He noticed the absence of a boat from our
decks, and inquired whether we had lost ours, and was still more
astonished when we informed him that it was taken to pieces and stowed
snugly away below.

This led to a request that he might be allowed to see it; and gradually
it all came out that we were bound on nothing less than a voyage to the
Pacific.

He was by no means inquisitive; his questions were merely such as one
yachtsman would naturally put to another. But we knew beforehand that
it would be difficult to conceal the fact that we were not merely
cruising for pleasure; so we had come to the conclusion that it would be
best to put a bold face upon the matter, and state at once that we were
going a long trip; and Bob had proposed that, in the event of any
questions being asked, we should give out that we were going to seek for
some traces of my father.

To this I willingly agreed, as I really meant, it possible, to endeavour
to find some clue to his fate; though I could not help acknowledging to
myself that, if we _did_ make any discoveries, it would be by the merest
accident.

Lord--seemed to be singularly struck with the model of the _Water Lily_;
the only