"Am I to have this cabin to myself?" asked Augusta of the steward.

"Yes, Miss; those are the captain's orders. It is Mr. Jones's cabin. Mr.
Jones is the second officer; but he has turned in with Mr. Thomas, the
first officer, and given up the cabin to you."

"I am sure it's very kind of Mr. Jones," murmured Augusta, not knowing
what to make of this turn of fortune. But surprises were not to end
there. A few minutes afterwards, just as she was leaving the cabin, a
gentleman in uniform came up, in whom she recognized the captain. He was
accompanied by a pretty fair-haired woman very becomingly dressed.

"Excuse me; Miss Smithers, I believe?" he said, with a bow.

"Yes."

"I am Captain Alton. I hope you like your new cabin. Let me introduce you
to Lady Holmhurst, wife of Lord Holmhurst, the New Zealand Governor, you
know. Lady Holmhurst, this is Miss Smithers, whose book you were talking
so much about."

"Oh! I am delighted to make your acquaintance, Miss Smithers," said the
great lady in a manner that evidently was not assumed. "Captain Alton has
promised that I shall sit next to you at dinner, and then we can have a
good talk. I don't know when I have been so much delighted with anything
as I was with your book. I have read it three times, what do you think of
that for a busy woman?"

"I think there is some mistake," said Augusta, hurriedly and with a
slight blush. "I am a second-class passenger on board this ship, and