“It is Southampton and we are at our journey’s end,” answered Alexander. “Indeed! We have run down very soon.” “Not so very soon either. We slept all the way and know little of the flight of time. It wants but twenty minutes to eleven o’clock, and we have but just time to catch the boat. Where is the guard? I wish he would come and open the door and let us out. It is a confounded nuisance, this locking the carriage-doors on the outside, keeping one in a sort of flying prison,” grumbled Alexander, looking from the window up and down the platform for the guard. “It is for one’s safety,” said Francis Tredegar. “Oh, bosh! as if I hadn’t any right to risk my own life! It is not so precious to any one, I take it.” “Well, but granting that, _other_ lives may be precious to _other_ people, and this rule is made for the safety of all.” As Francis Tredegar spoke the guard came up and unlocked the door, and released the prisoners. “A quarter to eleven! Come, Francis, hurry—we have not a moment to lose if we would catch the boat,” exclaimed Alexander, flying down the platform and beckoning a cab from the stand. Francis Tredegar and Alick’s valet hurried after him. “To the St. Aubins steamboat, as fast as you can go,” was the order Alexander gave to the cabman, who stood hat in hand holding the door open. The man closed the door upon the impatient party, mounted his seat, and started his horses. They were driven rapidly down to the wharf, where the St. Aubins steamer lay getting up her steam. They got out, paid the cab, and passed on into the boat. “Five minutes to eleven—we have just saved ourselves. But that dastard has not made his appearance yet! Is it possible that he will back out at the last moment? If he does, I will post him for a coward all over Europe!” muttered Alexander, frowning. “There he comes now!” exclaimed Francis, as a carriage rattled rapidly down towards the boat. And there he was, sure enough. It was not likely that the excitable Austrian was going to lag behind on such an adventure as this. Prince Ernest and his suite stepped upon deck just one minute and a half before the gang-plank was withdrawn, the signal-gun fired, and the steamer started. In passing on the deck, the adversaries met face to face. Each raised his hat with a stiff bow and passed on—Prince Ernest and his suite to the forward end of the boat, Alexander and his party to the aft. And they took good care not to meet again during the voyage. They had a fair day for their foul deed. The sky was unusually clear, the air calm, and the sea smooth. The steamer ran at the rate of ten knots an hour. Alexander and his party sat at the stern looking out at sea, and reading or pretending to read the morning papers served around by a newsboy who had the run of the boat.