MR. WILTON. "My engagements until the 7th of February are so
numerous as to preclude the possibility of my presence at a meeting
before that time; but after the 7th inst. I shall be more at
liberty, and we will, if you please, commence our voyage, and (wind
and weather permitting) travel on regularly and perseveringly until
we have circumnavigated the globe."

"Agreed! agreed!" merrily shouted the children.

"I know which of my friends I shall ask," said George; "and I fancy
I can guess who will be Emma's new member."

"I fancy you cannot," returned Emma: "I do not intend to tell any
one, either, until I hear whether or not she can come; therefore
check your inquisitiveness, Master George, and wait patiently, for
you will not know before the 7th, when I will introduce my friend."

"Now," said Grandy, "having settled the most important part of the
business, I have a few words to say. You must all be aware, that in
the accounts of seas and oceans, there cannot possibly be so much
time disposed of in descriptive facts as there was in our former
conversations concerning the rivers of the world, which are so
numerous, and require so many minute particulars in tracing their
courses, that they positively (although occupying a smaller portion
of the globe,) take more time to sail over in our ship 'The
Research,' than the boundless ocean, which occupies two thirds of
our world; it will, under these circumstances, be advisable to
illustrate our subject largely, and to lose no opportunity of
extending it for our benefit. We need not fear to exhaust the topic;