“I beg your pardon for troubling you, captain,” persisted the inquirer. “If I can be of any service to you, I shall be happy; but, upon my sowl, I am in a hurry,” replied O’Hara pleasantly. “It’s only a moment for another question. Could you by any possibility take a couple of passengers along with you?” “The steamer is not a passenger-vessel,” answered the captain. “I am well aware of that; but it would be a great accommodation to us; for you see we lost the last steamer to Funchal by a delay caused by a railway accident.” “I do not feel at liberty to take passengers; and I shall be obliged to refer you to the agent of the principal, Mr. Frisbone,” added O’Hara. “This gentleman is Sir Philip Grayner, baronet,” said the young man with the applicant for a passage. O’Hara thought he was rather young to be a baronet, but it was possible to succeed to the title at an early age. But he was not particularly impressed by the fact. The information had been imparted to him as though it was confidential, and he made no use of it. “Where can I find Mr. Frisbone?” asked the baronet, renewing the attack. “He is on board of the steamer.” “And how soon do you sail?” “In the course of an hour.” “Thank you, captain,” replied Sir Philip Grayner. “The gentleman with me is Lord Fillgrove,” he added in a low tone. “Another sprig of nobility,” thought O’Hara, as he descended to the boat. The well-trained crew gave way at the order of the coxswain, and the cutter was soon alongside of the Ville d’Angers. The vessel was only waiting for the pilot; but the time fixed for him to be on board had not yet arrived. The cutter was hoisted up at the davits, and secured for the voyage. The other cutter had not yet returned from the shore, where she had gone with a party of the students who had liberty to visit the city. Leave had been freely granted; and in no case had it been abused, so far as the officers were aware. If any of the young men had drank beer, or other dangerous fluids, their condition when they returned did not indicate such indulgence. About half an hour after the return of the captain, a boat containing the two applicants for passage to Funchal, with their bags and luggage, came alongside. The bringing of their baggage implied that they had a strong expectation of obtaining what they desired. They were permitted to come on board, and presented their application to the Prince. “We are entirely willing to pay our passage,” said the baronet. “By all means, we shall do that,” added the one with the lordly title. “That is no particular object with us,” replied the Prince. “We should not take you for the money you may pay.” “We will at least pay for our diet and the wines we drink,” said Sir Philip.