"Might I inquire, mister," asked Burrowes, "ef your vessel is a trader, or jest a pleasure schooner, as the parson here says?"

"Mr. Deighton is quite correct," said Mr. de Vere, with another graceful bow; "the Starlight is a yacht I can quite understand your not being able to make her out She was originally built for the navy as a gunboat, but was sold in Sydney, after some years' service. I bought her and had her altered into a yacht to cruise about these delightful and beautiful South Sea Islands. My friend, the Honourable John Morcombe-Lycett, accompanies me. Our English yachting experience had much to do with our determination to make a cruise down here. In fact," and here Mr. de Vere showed his white, even teeth in a smile, and stroked his drooping blonde moustache, "we left London with the intention of chartering a vessel in Sydney for a cruise amo. . . Read More