"Upon my word, you're a lucky dog, Gilbert!"
"How so?" demanded the latter.
"To have married my sister the day before father failed, and thus secured a pretty fair sum of money; and now to have escaped a tedious wife and got safely off with it in your pocket," said Jack, with a theatrical flourish of manner.
"But what does all this mean? Why are you here, and where is this ship bound?"
"Well, I'm here—hum—I don't know why, save that life was intolerable at home after the smash-up, and Winnie Morris heard I was getting wild, and turned a cold shoulder on me, I fancied. As to this craft, that reels and tumbles about like a reef of drunkards, she is bound for Australia; so I suppose, in due time, you and I will be landed on the shores of the golden Ophir, if we don't get turned into Davy Jones' locker by some mishap."
"Australia!" exclaimed Gilbert, "what the deuce am I going there for; and how came I in this place?"
"All I know is, I found you here asleep when I came aboard, and here you have been asleep for the last three days, wearing off the effects of your wedding-feast, I suppose. I thought best not to disturb you, as at sea one may as well be sleeping as waking."
"But, Jack Camford! I cannot go to Australia," said Gilbert, still half confounded.
"How are you going to avoid it?" asked Jack, laughing.
"True! but what will my bride say? Here I hold her fortune in my hand."