“I found the enemy, sir, about ninety miles S.S.E., eight battleships and about a dozen scouts.  Their course was west.”

The admiral made a rapid calculation.

“By Jove!” he said, “they will catch Pomeroy before we join him.  But there’s time yet.  We can warn Pomeroy to meet us twenty miles north-east of the spot previously arranged.  I think, Captain Bolitho, we may perhaps overlook Mr. Smith’s little irregularity in joining if he gives us a full account of his—­er—­experiences, after dinner to-night.”

“And the Reds, sir?”

“Before dinner, one or the other of us will be out of action.  Whether Reds or Blues, we shall have leisure to hear how Mr. Smith went round the world in seven days.”

POSTSCRIPT

The following extracts from the Press, neatly pasted in Kate Smith’s scrap book, have a certain historical and romantic interest for the persons concerned, directly or indirectly, in the incidents of the foregoing narrative.

      (From Our Own Correspondent.)

      CONSTANTINOPLE, Friday.

The appearance of an aeroplane this morning caused a considerable sensation.  It descended in the old archery ground of the Sultans, to the terror of the juvenile population that now uses the Ok Meidan as a common playground.  It contained two passengers, and though no authentic information is obtainable, it is rumored that the daring and intrepid airmen have made a rapid flight from Berlin, and are proceeding to Persia on a secret mission connected with the Bagdad railway.

      (From Our Own Correspondent.)

      BOMBAY, Monday.

The natives of the Mekran coast are again showing signs of insubordination.  The gunboat Penguin has just come into harbour, and her commander, Captain Durward, reports that on Saturday he discovered a crowd of Baluchis in the act of smuggling arms into an apparently innocent fishing-village.  He landed a party of bluejackets half a mile east of the village, and swooped upon it simultaneously with an attack from the sea.  The villagers scattered in all directions, but the ring-leaders were captured, together with a large number of rifles and ammunition.  The coup reflects the greatest credit on this able and energetic officer.

      Later.

The craze for aviation has at last broken out in India.  Two airmen made a sudden appearance at Karachi on Saturday, and departed after a brief stay for the interior.  They are said to be in the employment of the Nizam of Hyderabad, who is spending vast sums on his latest hobby.

      BRISBANE, Monday.

News has just arrived by wireless from the gunboat Frobisher, off Ysabel Island, that the crew of the survey-vessel Albatross, which was wrecked there a fortnight ago, are safe.  The party, it will be remembered, includes the famous geologist, Dr. Thesiger Smith.  The message is very brief, and a reference it makes to an aeroplane is thought to be an error.—­REUTER.

      SINGAPORE, Wednesday.