CHAPTER XVI.
The two ladies received Mr.Hardy's information with something akin to consternation, the idea of the autocrat of Equator Lodge as a stowaway on board the ship of his ancient enemy proving too serious for ordinary comment.

Mrs.Kingdom's usual expressions of surprise, "Well, I never did!" and "Good gracious alive!" died on her lips, and she sat gazing helpless and round-eyed at her niece.
"I wonder what he said," she gasped, at last.
Miss Nugent, who was trying to imagine her father in his new role aboard the Conqueror, paid no heed.

It was not a pleasant idea, and her eyes flashed with temper as she thought of it.

Sooner or later the whole affair would be public property.
"I had an idea all along that he wasn't in London," murmured Mrs.
Kingdom.

"Fancy that Nathan Smith standing in Sam's room telling us falsehoods like that! He never even blushed." "But you said that you kept picturing father walking about the streets of London, wrestling with his pride and trying to make up his mind to come home again," said her niece, maliciously.
Mrs.Kingdom fidgeted, but before she could think of a satisfactory reply Bella came to the door and asked to speak to her for a moment.