"With every pleasure," answered his lordship, and thereupon we went off to get ready.
Three-quarters of an hour later we were sitting in Mr. McMurtough's waiting-room, waiting for an interview. At the end of ten minutes a commissionaire came in to inform us that Mr. McMurtough was disengaged, and forthwith conducted us to his room. We found him a small, gray-haired, pleasant-looking gentleman, full of life and fun. He received Mr. Wetherell as an old friend, and then waited to be introduced to us.
"Let me make you acquainted with my friends, McMurtough," said Wetherell—"The Marquis of Beckenham and Mr. Hatteras."
He bowed and then shook hands with us, after which we sat down and Wetherell proceeded to business. The upshot of it all was that he immediately fell in with our plans and expressed himself as delighted to lend his yacht in such a good cause.
"I wish I were able to come with you," he said; "but unfortunately that is quite impossible. However, you are more than welcome to my boat. I will send down to the harbour at once and give orders that she is to be prepared for sea to-day. Will you see about provisioning her, or shall I?"
"We will see to all that," said Wetherell. "All the expenses must of course be mine."
"As you please about that, my old friend," returned McMurtough.
"Where is the craft lying?" asked Wetherell.
The owner gave us the direction, and having sincerely thanked him, we set off to find her. She was a nice craft of about a hundred tons burthen, and looked as if she ought to be a good sea boat. Chartering a wherry we were pulled off to her. The captain
