In the morning when the boys looked out of their porthole of a window, they thought the ship must be still in the Sea of Marmora, for there was only water to be seen on either side.
“I wish this old tub could go faster,” said Raymond grumblingly. “We’ll never get to Venice at this rate.”
“She seems to be making good speed,” said Sidney, as he watched the water surge past the side of the boat. “I don’t understand why we aren’t farther along; perhaps they were obliged to lie to for some reason in the night.”
The boys dressed rapidly and went out to hunt Captain Foster, whom they found pacing the deck and looking very happy.
“Good-morning, captain,” called out the boys; and Sidney added,—
“When shall we reach the Dardanelles?”
“Why, bless you,” replied the captain, beaming on the boys, “we passed the Straits last night, and we’re well out in the Ægean now. What did you think the Princess Mary had been doing? The old girl is making twenty-two knots.”
“Jiminy, that’s fine!” exclaimed Raymond; “then I suppose we’ll round Cape Matapan to-morrow.”
“Oh, we’re not going to run away down there. We’ll go through the Corinth Canal; that will cut off a whole day.”
“Shall we stop at Athens?” asked Raymond eagerly.