"We shall proceed forthwith to Odessa, and ascertain, first of all, whether the convict-ship has sailed," answered the professor. "If she has not, I shall make it my business to see her, and to take such particular notice of her name and appearance that I may be able to identify her again at sight; but if, as I anticipate, she has sailed, I shall find out, if possible, the date of her sailing, her name, rig, tonnage, and any other particulars that will help us to recognise her when we see her. If she has not sailed, it will be necessary for us to lie in wait for her either in the Black Sea or wherever else may be deemed a suitable spot at which to effect her capture; while, if she has sailed, we shall simply go in pursuit of her." CHAPTER FIVE. THE BEGINNING OF A STRANGE VOYAGE. "Just so," remarked Sir Reginald. "And here," he continued, "it seems to me that we reach the most important point in the whole adventure. This convict-ship will, of course, carry a small detachment of troops as a guard over the convicts; do you think that we four are sufficient to capture a ship carrying a crew of, say, thirty or forty men, with probably, a like number of soldiers?" The professor seemed to be rather taken aback at this question. "It has not occurred to me that there will be any difficulty in the matter," he answered. "What do our military friends say?" "Well," responded the colonel, "the task you propose to set us seems to be, at first sight, rather a tall order. Remember, we have thus far had no experience of the capabilities of the _Flying Fish_ as a fighting ship; and, to tell you the truth, I have almost forgotten the details of her armament, and how it is worked." "I have not," answered Mildmay. "She is fitted with a torpedo port for'ard, for firing what the professor called `torpedo-shells'; two 10-inch breech-loading rifled guns, fired through ports in the dining-saloon, and six Maxim guns, fired from the upper deck, to say nothing of small-arms. Such an armament is ample for every occasion which is at all likely to arise; and if the professor will only furnish me with the particulars of which he has spoken, as to the sailing and so on of the ship, I will undertake to find and capture her. But I presume you are all fully aware that such capture will be an act of piracy?" "Y-e-es," replied Sir Reginald, hesitatingly; "but thus far I have been influenced by the conviction that the end justifies the means. Still, if you, Mildmay, or you, Lethbridge, have any qualms of conscience--"