Lady Sterndale had sent a large fruit-cake, early in the morning, from Plantation House, to be taken along on the voyage.

It was a great high-decker, and I ate sparingly of it, as I thought, but it did not keep as I had hoped it would.

I ate the last of it along with my first cup of coffee at Antigua, West Indies, which, after all, was quite a record.

The one my own sister made me at the little island in the Bay of Fundy, at the first of the voyage, kept about the same length of time, namely, forty-two days.
After luncheon a royal mail was made up for Ascension, the island next on my way.

Then Mr.Poole and his daughter paid the _Spray_ a farewell visit, bringing me a basket of fruit.