One of the little boys was sure he had heard Agamemnon’s voice the morning after they left New York, and was certain he must have been on board the vessel.  Mr. Peterkin was not so sure.  He now remembered that Agamemnon had not been at the dinner-table the very first evening; but then neither Mrs. Peterkin nor Solomon John was able to be present, as the vessel was tossing in a most uncomfortable manner, and nothing but dinner could have kept the little boys at table.  Solomon John knew that Agamemnon had not been in his own stateroom during the passage, but he himself had seldom left it, and it had been always planned that Agamemnon should share that of a fellow-passenger.

However this might be, it would be best to leave Marseilles with the English party by the “P. & O.” steamer.  This was one of the English “Peninsular and Oriental” line, that left Marseilles for Alexandria, Egypt, and made a return trip directly to Southampton, England.  Mr. Peterkin thought it might be advisable to take “go-and-return” tickets, coming back to Southampton; and Mrs. Peterkin liked the idea of no change of baggage, though she dreaded the longer voyage.  Elizabeth Eliza approved of this return trip in the P. & O. steamer, and decided it would give a good opportunity to dispose of her canary-birds on her return.

The family therefore consoled themselves at Marseilles with the belief that Agamemnon would appear somehow.  If not, Mr. Peterkin thought he could telegraph him from Marseilles, if he only knew where to telegraph to.  But at Marseilles there was great confusion at the Hotel de Noailles; for the English party met other friends, who persuaded them to take route together by Brindisi.  Elizabeth Eliza was anxious to continue with her new English friend, and Solomon John was delighted with the idea of passing through the whole length of Italy.  But the sight of the long journey, as she saw it on the map in the guide-book, terrified Mrs. Peterkin.  And Mr. Peterkin had taken their tickets for the Marseilles line.  Elizabeth Eliza still dwelt upon the charm of crossing under the Alps, while this very idea alarmed Mrs. Peterkin.

On the last morning the matter was still undecided.  On leaving the hotel, it was necessary for the party to divide and take two omnibuses.  Mr. and Mrs. Peterkin reached the steamer at the moment of departure, and suddenly Mrs. Peterkin found they were leaving the shore.  As they crossed the broad gangway to reach the deck, she had not noticed they had left the pier; indeed, she had supposed that the steamer was one she saw out in the offing, and that they would be obliged to take a boat to reach it.  She hurried from the group of travellers whom she had followed to find Mr. Peterkin reading from his guide-book to the little boys an explanation that they were passing the Chateau d’If, from which the celebrated historical character the Count of Monte Cristo had escaped by flinging himself into the sea.