"If you take her stay at the Cape into account," Ernest answered, "I think the corvette might have reached an English port in three months. It will take her the same time to come back, and as it was understood that she was to be back in a year, that means that she will have had to remain half a year in Europe. So my conclusion is that she is still there."
"But probably on the eve of sailing," Hannah remarked.
"Most likely, Hannah dear," Ernest replied.
"After all," said Mrs. Wolston, "she might have cut her stay in England short."
"She might have done so, certainly," Mr. Wolston answered, "although six months would not be too long for all that she had to do. Our Lords of the Admiralty are not remarkably expeditious."
"Oh, but when it is a question of taking possession!" M. Zermatt exclaimed.
"That gets done!" Jack laughed. "Are you aware that it is a very handsome present we are making to your country, Mr. Wolston?"
"I quite agree, my dear boy."
"And yet," the young man went on, "what a chance it would have been for our dear old Switzerland to embark upon a career of colonial expansion! An island which possesses all the animal and vegetable wealth of the torrid zone—an island so admirably situated in the very middle of the Indian Ocean for trade with the Far East and the Pacific!"
"There goes Jack, off again, as if he were careering on Grumbler or Lightfoot!" Mr. Wolston said.