and I shall wait there for some means of transport."

"Very well, Monsieur Paganel, it shall be as you wish; and, for my
own part, I am very glad to be able to offer you, meantime,
a few days' hospitality. I only hope you will not find our
company too dull."

"Oh, my Lord," exclaimed Paganel, "I am but too happy
to have made a mistake which has turned out so agreeably.
Still, it is a very ridiculous plight for a man to be in,
to find himself sailing to America when he set out to go
to the East Indies!"

But in spite of this melancholy reflection, the Frenchman submitted
gracefully to the compulsory delay. He made himself amiable and merry,
and even diverting, and enchanted the ladies with his good humor.
Before the end of the day he was friends with everybody.
At his request, the famous document was brought out.
He studied it carefully and minutely for a long time, and finally
declared his opinion that no other interpretation of it was possible.
Mary Grant and her brother inspired him with the most lively interest.
He gave them great hope; indeed, the young girl could not help
smiling at his sanguine prediction of success, and this odd way
of foreseeing future events. But for his mission he would have made
one of the search party for Captain Grant, undoubtedly.

As for Lady Helena, when he heard that she was a daughter of
William Tuffnell, there was a perfect explosion of admiring epithets.
He had known her father, and what letters had passed between them
when William Tuffnell was a corresponding member of the Society! It was