Wal Jessop communicated his intention of accompanying Edgar to his wife, and although she did not care for him to leave her again to go on a cruise, she raised no objections when she heard what object they had in view.
‘How strange it will be if you find Captain Manton there!’ she said. ‘Even if such a thing happened I am afraid he would not return with you.’
‘We shall persuade him to do so,’ said Wal, ‘if we find him; but that is more than we hope for. Still, more extraordinary things than this have happened over shipwrecks, and truth is often stranger than fiction.’
Wal Jessop’s schooner did not take much fitting out for the voyage, for both he and Edgar were used to roughing it. A couple of good men were engaged to go with them, upon whom Wal Jessop knew he could rely.
They set sail early one morning, and were soon outside the heads, going along at a fair rate of speed in their small craft.
‘She sails well,’ said Edgar.
‘Many a craft twice her size does not skim over the sea so fast,’ said Wal.
Edgar thoroughly enjoyed being on board the schooner. It was vastly different from the life on an ocean liner. They had on board a stock of goods to trade with the natives, and hoped to make the trip profitable. The wind and weather being in their favour, they sailed merrily along, and there was every prospect of their making a fast trip.
Wal Jessop suggested going to Fiji first of all.
‘It’s a jolly place,’ he said, ‘and will not be out of our way, and we are not tied for time.’