“It is a fine steamer _you_ have, Mr. Lowington,” yelled the Prince, in his loudest tone. “She belongs to you, every timber and bolt in her! she was saved by your boys, or she would have gone to the bottom. More than this, I have a considerable sum of money from the salvage of the Castle William, which I shall pay over to you, deducting the expenses I have incurred in fitting up the ship, coaling and provisioning her.” The Prince produced his accounts, and insisted upon paying over his balance in sovereigns to the principal; who received it under protest. “What shall I do with the steamer?” asked Mr. Lowington. “Use her instead of them two topsail schooners!” screamed the Prince, as he always did when he had a bright idea. “In due time we will consider that question. Now you are almost back to New York, where you started from; and I understand that you were in quest of health for your wife’s sister.” “That’s so; but I don’t think any thing particular ails her now. We have given her something to think about all the time; and I guess she is pretty much cured now. I shall spend the winter in that place on the back side of the peak of Teneriffe; and if I get there by the 1st of December, it will be soon enough.” “Then this steamer must convey you to your destination,” said the principal. “Well, I sha’n’t mind staying with you all summer, if you don’t object. This sort of life agrees with my wife and her sister, now they have got used to it; and I don’t get seasick myself.” The rest of the day was spent in exchanging visits between the vessels; and not much study was done. The Prince and his ladies visited the Marian and the American Prince. Tom Speers went with them; for it could not be denied that he was a prime favorite with the ladies, and especially with Miss Louise. Clinch was sent back to the Josephine, and became No. 35. The next morning, when things had settled down again, the signal for the lecture was displayed on board of the American Prince. The grand saloon of the steamer was crowded on this occasion, for all the passengers, officers, and engineers of the Marian and the Ville d’Angers were present. “Before the professor begins his lecture, I wish to say that all the offices of the squadron will be given out in accordance with the results of an examination to be conducted at Hamilton, beginning on the 1st of June. It will include all branches of study and seamanship; and the marks for conduct will be added to the result of the examination,” said the principal. “I am sorry I was not able to give this notice to the ship’s company of the Tritonia on the 1st of May, as I did in the other vessels.” “But we all knew there was to be a new method adopted; and some of us were sure it was to be an examination,” added O’Hara, when he had obtained permission to speak.