The servants of the Castle had hailed the project with loud acclamations--
for it was to save their brothers--Scotchmen, like themselves--
and Lord Glenarvan cordially joined his cheers with theirs,
for the Lady of Luss.

The departure once resolved upon, there was not an hour to be lost.
A telegram was dispatched to John Mangles the very same day,
conveying Lord Glenarvan's orders to take the DUNCAN immediately
to Glasgow, and to make preparations for a voyage to the Southern Seas,
and possibly round the world, for Lady Helena was right in her
opinion that the yacht might safely attempt the circumnavigation
of the globe, if necessary.

The DUNCAN was a steam yacht of the finest description.
She was 210 tons burden--much larger than any of the first
vessels that touched the shores of the New World, for the largest
of the four ships that sailed with Columbus was only 70 tons.
She had two masts and all the sails and rigging of an ordinary clipper,
which would enable her to take advantage of every favorable wind,
though her chief reliance was on her mechanical power. The engine,
which was constructed on a new system, was a high-pressure one,
of 160-horse power, and put in motion a double screw.
This gave the yacht such swiftness that during her trial
trip in the Firth of Clyde, she made seventeen miles
an hour, a higher speed than any vessel had yet attained.
No alterations were consequently needed in the DUNCAN herself;
John Mangles had only to attend to her interior arrangements.

His first care was to enlarge the bunkers to carry as much coal
as possible, for it is difficult to get fresh supplies _en route_.