Olga Romanoff by George Griffith

TWELVE hours after they had left the Sultan on the terrace of his palace, the _Ithuriel_ and the _Vindaya_ dropped through the clouds on to the snow-covered surface of Kerguelen Island, and within an hour the despatch-vessel _Vega_ was speeding away north-westward to Aeria with a full account of the results achieved by the first cruise of the _Ithuriel_.

The twenty-four hours which would have to elapse before the reply of the Council could be received were employed in repairing the damage done to the _Vindaya_, and in renewing the motive-power and ammunition of both vessels. Sundry small but effective improvements in the mechanism and appointments of the _Vindaya_ were also made, and last, but by no means least important, the name of the prize was changed.