e two travel-stained English
lads.

"Can any of you speak English?" Jack asked. One of them at once left his
desk and came forward.

"I can speak English. What do you want?"

"Thank goodness!" Jack exclaimed fervently. "We are two officers
belonging to an English ship that was wrecked in the storm two days ago.
We believe all the rest have been drowned. We have made our way on foot
across the country, and you are the first person we have met who can
speak English."

At the word "officer" the clerk had assumed a more respectful attitude.
"The collector-sahib went away yesterday to see what could be done and
what supplies are needed; he will be back this evening. If you will
follow me I will take you to the memsahib, who will see after you."

Wondering whom they were going to see, the boys followed their conductor
out at the back of the house into a large garden, in the centre of which
stood a pretty bungalow. In the shaded verandah a lady was sitting
reading. Motioning the boys to remain where they were the clerk went
forward and addressed the lady, who at once rose. He beckoned to the
boys, who advanced to her as she was coming forward to meet them.

"So you have been shipwrecked, I hear?" she said. "It was a terrible
gale. We did not feel it so much here, but I hear the destruction on the
coast has been awful, and they say thousands of lives have been lost.
Pray, come in. My husband is away, but he will be back this evening."

The boys soon found themselves seated in easy-chairs in the verandah,
while white-robed servants brought them refreshments. "Now," the lady
said, "tell me all about yourselves. You belong to a ship that was
wrecked; whereabout did she come ashore?"

"We have not the least idea," Jack said. "We had been hours running
before the gale before we were cast ashore. We have been walking for two
days, and have not found a soul who could speak English until now, so
that we have not the least idea where we are."

"This is Cuttack," the lady said. "It is just outside the Madras
Presidency. We are only separated from it by the river Mahanuddy. You
must have been wrecked somewhere between the mouth of the river and
Palmyras."

"How far are we away from Calcutta, ma'am?"

"About two hundred miles," she replied. "It is a low swampy unhealthy
country all the way, but you will have no difficulty in taking a passage
from here in a native craft. My husband will see about that for you.
Where are your c