Mr. Windsor spoke no word until they had nearly reached the garden gate. Then he said respectfully, but firmly, ‘I think I’ve seen all I mean to see of Sydney harbour, sir. I don’t care if I never go fishing again, except off a river bank. If any one says there’s three heads and not two, I shan’t say whether they’re right or wrong. The next time I’m a little tired of being John Windsor I shall stumble against Ben Bolt’s hind-legs; but no more salt-water pleasure parties. I ain’t on. Good-night, sir.’ Miss Frankston did not appear at the dinner-table, but her father and Ernest recompensed themselves for their exertions and anxieties by a comparative liberal use of the wine-cup. ‘Stick to that port, my boy,’ said the old gentleman; ‘one needs a generous wine after our little adventure―and a glass of “hot stopping” won’t do any harm afterwards. It was rather a near thing; fact is, I am _not_ quite cautious enough, and fancy it like old times, when, with a Maori boat’s crew, or these Kanaka fellows, it was next to impossible to be drowned. Drowned! If I’d gone down in my old whaling cruises every time I’ve been in a stove boat, out of sight of the ship, too, I should have been drowned a dozen times.’ ‘Are accidents frequent in this port?’ said Ernest. ‘Well, there are not so many as you might expect, considering the number of yachts and sailing boats; but still they occur from time to time. You saw the way the southerly gale came on to-night. Well, with an awkward crew such a boat as ours would have been bottom up now as sure as we sit here. There was Colonel Bigges, who used to live at Point Piper; he was always boating, not a bad hand, but of course, no sailor. “Colonel,” I said, one day, “you will have a trip too many if you don’t mind.” ‘“What makes you think so?” says he; “I’ll sail you for anything you like. I’m going out next Saturday.” ‘Something made me say, “Then don’t take the young ladies out, to oblige me.” He had two daughters, nice pretty girls they were, too. Well, for a wonder, he minded what I said. What was the consequence? His boat was upset a mile from shore; he had two men-servants in the boat; they were drowned. The Colonel only reached land by the help of his sons, who were splendid swimmers. If the girls had been of the party nothing earthly could have saved them.’ CHAPTER XVI The pleasant days wore on until the less pleasant idea began to take shape in Mr. Neuchamp’s mind that it had become necessary to consider the route once more. This sojourn in Capua could not be indefinitely prolonged. Either he must go back to Garrandilla or he must make purchase of a station on his own account.