“Well, I don’t know but we are; for sartainly she is gaining every day; and her appetite is as good as one of the hands before the mast.” “I should be sorry to have you leave us, Prince Frisbone; for you have kept my back as stiff as the mainmast of the ship,” said O’Hara, who was really very much attached to the eccentric passenger, as well as to the ladies of his party. “I should be sorry to leave before you find the squadron; but you may chase it clean across the ocean to America.” “Then stay with us, darling; for I may be sent in the steamer to bring you back to whatever port you want to go,” replied O’Hara, laughing. “Though I am doing my best to find the fleet, I like the position I hold now very well indeed; and it will be a sorry day when I have to give it up.” “But you ought to see sunthin or other of these islands we go to; and I know my women-folks would like to stretch themselves on shore,” added the Prince. “I shouldn’t dare to stop a day anywhere till I find the squadron,” said the captain, shaking his head, and looking very serious. “But perhaps you are running away from it all the time,” suggested the Prince. Capt. Fairfield and Mr. Shakings were called; and they took the same view as the Prince. The fleet had gone to the southward; and very likely it would return in a few days. This consideration induced O’Hara to decide upon a stay of a couple of days; and all hands, except Clinch, were allowed to go on shore. On the 30th of the month, as the fleet did not appear, the Ville d’Angers sailed for Palmas. She arrived the same day; and the captain learned that the squadron had gone to Orotava. After having a look at this city, Mr. Frisbone decided to take his wife’s sister there in the fall, and remain all winter. From this port the fleet had sailed for Santa Cruz de Palma; and the steamer followed her after spending a day at Orotava. On her arrival, the captain learned that the fleet had departed. As none of the vessels were commercial craft, it did not appear that they had entered at the custom-house. As they came from another port in the Canary Islands, they had simply anchored, and the students went on shore to see the town, and what they could of the island, in a few hours. But where had the fleet gone now? for what port had it sailed? The custom-house officials knew nothing about the destination of the squadron. O’Hara and Raymond wandered about the town in search of information. Where was the pilot? there was no harbor to enter, and they had taken no pilot. “We don’t get ahead any,” said O’Hara, after they had continued the search for some time. “Don’t you know what the principal’s programme for the voyage among the Isles of the Sea is?” inquired Raymond. “I don’t know: he never gave me a copy of it.” “I have heard it said that the squadron was to go to the Cape Verd Islands after Madeira, and then to the Azores.” “I have heard that same,” added O’Hara. “But don’t Capt. Fairfield know any thing about it?”