"Now, Tom," said Glenarvan, "let me know: did not this order to sail for the coast of New Zealand seem strange to you?"
"Yes, my lord," replied Austin. "I was very much surprised; but, as I am not in the habit of discussing the orders I receive, I obeyed. Could I act otherwise? If any accident had happened from not following your instructions should I not have been to blame? Would you have done differently, captain?"
"No, Tom," answered Captain Mangles.
"But what did you think?" asked Glenarvan.
"I thought, my lord, that, in the cause of Captain Grant, it was necessary to go wherever you directed me; that by some combination of circumstances another vessel would take you to New Zealand, and that I was to wait for you on the eastern coast of the island. Moreover, on leaving Melbourne, I kept my destination secret, and the crew did not know it till we were out at sea and the shores of Australia had disappeared from sight. But then an incident occurred that perplexed me very much."
"What do you mean, Tom?" inquired Glenarvan.
"I mean," he replied, "that when the quartermaster, Ayrton, learned, the day after our departure, the Duncan's destination——"
"Ayrton!" cried Glenarvan. "Is he on board?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Ayrton here!" repeated Glenarvan, glancing at Captain Mangles.