What arrangement could be so pleasant to a governor living in the Mandarin Islands, who had had a holiday lately, and who could but ill afford to take any holidays at his own expense?
Colonel Osborne was on this committee, and, moreover, was on good terms at the Colonial Office.
There were men in office who would be glad to do Colonel Osborne a service, and then if this were a job, it would be so very little of a job! Perhaps Sir Marmaduke might not be the very best man for the purpose.

Perhaps the government of the Mandarins did not afford the best specimen of that colonial lore which it was the business of the committee to master.

But then two governors were to come, and it might be as well to have one of the best sort, and one of the second best.

No one supposed that excellent old Sir Marmaduke was a paragon of a governor, but then he had an infinity of experience! For over twenty years he had been from island to island, and had at least steered clear of great scrapes.
"We'll try it, at any rate," said the Colonel.
"Do, Colonel Osborne.

Mamma would come with him, of course ?" "We should leave him to manage all that.