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The Cruise of the Thetis: A Tale of the Cuban Insurrection

by Harry Collingwood · English · Gutenberg #21075 · 612,328 chars · public domain (US)

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Title: The Cruise of the Thetis: A Tale of the Cuban Insurrection

Author: Harry Collingwood

Illustrator: Cyrus Cuneo


        
Release date: April 14, 2007 [eBook #21075]

Language: English

Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/21075

Credits: Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England


*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CRUISE OF THE THETIS: A TALE OF THE CUBAN INSURRECTION ***




Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England




The Cruise of the Thetis
A Tale of the Cuban Insurrection

By Harry Collingwood
________________________________________________________________________
The Thetis is a fast motor-cruiser.  The story takes us to Cuba, and
we visit various places in it (even Guantanamo!).  There has been an
insurrection there and our heroes get themselves involved.

The book used was very well printed, and so the transcription was easy,
and we think it has been well-done.
________________________________________________________________________
THE CRUISE OF THE THETIS
A TALE OF THE CUBAN INSURRECTION

BY HARRY COLLINGWOOD



CHAPTER ONE.

A FRIEND--AND A MYSTERIOUS STRANGER.

"Hillo, Singleton, old chap, how are you?" exclaimed a young fellow of
about eighteen years of age, as he laid his hand upon the shoulder of a
lad about his own age, who, on a certain fine July day in the year of
grace 1894, was standing gazing into the window of a shop in Piccadilly.

The speaker was a somewhat slightly-built youth, rather tall and slim,
by no means ill-looking, of sallow complexion and a cast of features
that betrayed his foreign origin, although his English was faultless.
The young man whom he had addressed was, on the other hand, a typical
Englishman, tall, broad, with "athlete" written large all over him; fair
of skin, with a thick crop of close-cut, ruddy-golden locks that curled
crisply on his well-shaped head, and a pair of clear, grey-blue eyes
that had a trick of seeming to look right into the very soul of anyone
with whom their owner happened to engage in conversation.  Just now,
however, there was a somewhat languid look in those same eyes that,
coupled with an extreme pallor of complexion and gauntness of frame,
seemed to tell a tale of ill health.  The singularly handsome face,
however, lighted up with an expression of delighted surprise as its
owner turned sharply round and answered heartily:

"Why, Carlos, my dear old chap, this is indeed an unexpected pleasure!
We were talking about you only last night--Letchmere, Woolaston,
Poltimore, and I, all old Alleynians who had foregathered to dine at the
Holborn.  Where in the world have you sprung from?"

"Plymouth last, where I arrived yesterday, _en route_ to London from
Cuba," was the answer.  "And you are the second old Alleynian whom I
have already met.  Lancaster--you remember him, of course--came up in
the same compartment with me all the way.  He is an engineer now in the
dockyard at Devonport, and was on his way to join his people, who are
off to Switzerland, I think he said."

"Yes, of course I remember him," was the answer, "but I have not seen
him since we all left Dulwich together.  And what are you doing over
here, now--if it is not an indiscreet question to ask; and how long do
you propose to stay?"

The sallow-complexioned, foreign-looking youth glanced keenly about him
before replying, looked at his watch, and then remarked:

"Close upon half-past one--lunch-time; and this London air of yours has
given me a most voracious appetite.  Suppose we go in somewhere and get
some lunch, to start with; afterwards we can take a stroll in the Park,
and have a yarn together--that is to say, if you are not otherwise
engaged."

"Right you are, my boy; that will suit me admirably, for I have no other
engagement, and, truth to tell, was feeling somewhat at a loss as to how
to dispose of myself for the next hour or two.  Here you are, let us go
into Prince's," answered Singleton.  The two young men entered the
restaurant, found a table, called a waiter, and ordered lunch; and while
they are taking the meal the opportunity may be seized to make the
reader somewhat better acquainted with them.

There is not much that need be said by way of introduction to either of
them.  Carlos Montijo was the only son of Don Hermoso Montijo, a native
of Cuba, and the most extensive and wealthy tobacco planter in the
Vuelta de Abajo district of that island.  He was also intensely
patriotic, and was very strongly suspected by the Spanish rulers of Cuba
of regarding with something more than mere passive sympathy the efforts
that had been made by the Cubans from time to time, ever since '68, to
throw off the Spanish yoke.  He was a great admirer of England, English
institutions, and the English form of government, which, despite all its
imperfections, he considered to be the most admirable form of government
in existence.  It was this predilection for things English that had
induced him to send his son Carlos over to England, some nine years
prior to the date of the opening of this story, to be educated at
Dulwich, first of all in the preparatory school and afterwards in the
College.  And it was during the latter period that Carlos Montijo became
the especial chum of Jack Singleton, a lad of the same age as himself,
and the only son of Edward Singleton, the senior partner in the eminent
Tyneside firm of Singleton, Murdock, and Company, shipbuilders and
engineers.  The two lads had left Dulwich at the same time, Carlos to
return to Cuba to master the mysteries of tobacco-growing, and Singleton
to learn all that was to be learnt of shipbuilding and engineering in
his father's establishment.  A year ago, however, Singleton senior had
died, leaving his only son without a near relation in the world--Jack's
mother having died during his infancy: and since then Jack, as the
dominant partner in the firm, had been allowed to do pretty much as he
pleased.  Not that he took an unwise advantage of this freedom--very far
from it: he clearly realised that, his father being dead, there was now
a more stringent necessity than ever for him to become master of every
detail of the business; and, far from taking things easy, he had been
working so hard that of late his health had shown signs of giving way,
and at the moment when we make his acquaintance he was in London for the
purpose of consulting a specialist.

During the progress of luncheon there had been, as was to be expected, a
brisk crossfire of question and answer between the two young men, in the
course of which Montijo had learned, among other things, that his friend
Jack had been ordered by the specialist to leave business very severely
alone for some time to come, and, if possible, to treat himself to at
least six months' complete change of air, scene, and occupation.

"It fortunately so happens," said Jack, "that my position in the firm
will enable me to do this very well, since Murdock, the other partner,
is, and has been since my father's death, the actual manager of the
business; and as he has been with us for nearly thirty years he knows
all that there is to know about it, and needs no assistance from me.
Also, I have at last completed the submarine which has been my pet
project for almost as long as I can remember, and now all that I need is
the opportunity to try her: indeed, but for Oxley's strict injunctions
to me to cut business altogether, I should certainly spend my holiday in
putting the boat to a complete series of very much more thorough and
exhaustive tests than have thus far been possible.  As it is, I really
am at an almost complete loss how to spend my six months' holiday."

"Do you mean to say that you have no plans whatever?" demanded Montijo,
as he and his friend rose from the table to leave the restaurant.

"None but those of the most vague and hazy description possible,"
answered Singleton.  "Oxley's orders are `change of scene, no work, and
a life in the open air'; I am therefore endeavouring to weigh the
respective merits of a cruise in my old tub the _Lalage_, and big-game
shooting somewhere in Central Africa.  But neither of them seems to
appeal to me very strongly; the cutter is old and slow, while as for the
shooting project, I really don't seem to have the necessary energy for
such an undertaking, in the present state of my health."

"Look here, Jack," observed Montijo eagerly, as he slid his hand within
his friend's arm and the pair wheeled westward toward Hyde Park, "I
believe I have the very scheme to suit you, and I will expound it to you
presently, when we get into the Park and can talk freely without the
risk of being overheard.  Meanwhile, what was it that you were saying
just now about a submarine?  I remember, of course, that you were always
thinking and talking about submarines while we were at Dulwich, and also
that you once made a model which you tested in the pond, and which dived
so effectually that, unless you subsequently recovered her, she must be
at the bottom of the pond still."

"Ay," answered Jack with a laugh; "I remember that ill-fated model.  No,
I never recovered her, but she nevertheless served her purpose; for her
mishap gave me my first really useful idea in connection with the design
of a submarine boat.  And at last I have completed a working model which
thus far has answered exceedingly well.  She is only a small affair, you
know, five feet in diameter by twenty-five feet long, but she is big
enough to accommodate two men--or even three, at a pinch.  I have been
as deep as ten fathoms in her, and have no doubt she could descend to
twice that depth; while she has an underwater speed of twenty knots,
which she can maintain for five hours."

"By Jove, that's splendid--very much better than anything that anyone
else has done, thus far!" exclaimed Montijo admiringly.  "You ought to
make your fortune with a boat of that sort.  And you are pining for an
opportunity to subject her to a thoroughly practical test?  Well, my
scheme, which I will explain in full when we get into the Park, will
enable you to do that."

"Is that so?" commented Jack.  "Then that alone would very strongly
predispose me in favour of it.  But why make such a secret of it, old
chap?  Is it of such a character that a passer-by, catching a few words
of it, would be likely to hand us over to the nearest policeman as a
couple of conspirators?"

"Well, no; it is scarcely so bad as that," answered Montijo, laughing:
"but it is of such a nature that I would prefer not to speak of it, if
you don't mind, until we are somewhere in the Park where we can converse
freely without the fear of being overheard.  You see, the Pater and I
are pretty well-known to--and not too well liked by--the Spanish
authorities in Cuba, and it is by no means certain that they may not
think it quite worth their while to have us watched over here;
therefore--"

"Yes, of course, I understand," returned Jack; "therefore for the
present `mum's the word', eh?"

Montijo nodded, and the two lads strode along, conversing upon various
topics, until they reached Hyde Park Corner, and swung in through the
Park gates, and so on to the grass.

"Ah, now at last I can speak freely!" remarked Montijo with a sigh of
relief.  "First of all, Singleton," he continued, "you must understand
that what I am about to say will be spoken in the strictest confidence;
and, whether you should agree to my proposal or not, I must ask you to
pledge your honour as a gentleman that you will not repeat a single word
of what I say to anyone--anyone, mind you--without first obtaining my
consent, or that of my Pater."

"All right, Carlos, my boy," answered Singleton, cheerily; "I promise
and vow all that you ask.  There is nobody on the face of this earth of
ours who can keep a secret better than I can, as you ought to know by
this time."

"Yes, I do know it, perfectly well," agreed Montijo.  "Well," he
continued, "the fact is that the Pater and I have at last begun to
interest ourselves actively in Cuban politics.  We Cubans, as you
perhaps know, have been trying, ever since '68, to induce the Spaniards
to govern us mildly and justly, but thus far all our efforts have been
fruitless: we are still being ground down and tyrannised over until the
lives of many of us have become a burden; neither the property, the
liberty, nor the life of any Cuban is safe to-day, unless he is well-
known to be a supporter of the Spanish Government.  After more than a
quarter of a century of patient but ineffectual effort, therefore, it
has been determined to take up arms, strike a blow for liberty, and
never rest until Cuba is free from the hated Spanish yoke.

"It is in connection with this movement that the Pater and I are now in
England.  It is now nearly a year since Senor Marti--the man who above
all others has been conspicuous in his efforts on behalf of Cuba--got
hold of the Pater and succeeded in convincing him that it is the duty of
every Cuban to do his utmost to free his country from the grasp of the
tyrant; and one of the first-fruits of this was the giving of an order
by the Pater--through a friend--for the construction of a fast steam-
yacht, to be used as may be required in the service of the country, but
primarily for the purpose of smuggling arms, ammunition, and necessaries
of all kinds into the island.  Now, by a singular coincidence, this
friend and agent of the Pater chose your firm as that which should build
the yacht; and now we, having been advised that she is ready for
delivery--"

"What!" exclaimed Singleton, "you surely don't mean to say that Number
78 is your boat?"

"Yes," answered Montijo quietly; "that is the number by which she is at
present known, I believe."

"Then, Carlos, my dear boy, accept my most hearty congratulations!"
exclaimed Singleton.  "Our naval constructor has let himself go, and
fairly outdone himself over that craft.  It was a difficult task that
you gave him to do when you asked for a boat of not less than three
hundred tons on eight feet draught of water, and with a sea speed of
twenty-two knots; but he has done it, and the result is that you have,
in Number 78, the prettiest little boat that ever swam.  Why, man, she
has already done twenty-four knots over the measured mile, on her full
draught of water, and in a fairly heavy sea; and she is the very
sweetest sea boat that it is possible to imagine.  Of course we could
not have done it had we not boldly adopted the new-fashioned turbine
principle for her engines; but they work to perfection, and even when
she is running at full speed one can scarcely feel a tremor in her."

"I am delighted to receive so excellent an account of her," answered
Montijo, "and so will the Pater be when I tell him--or, rather, when you
tell him; for, Singleton, I want you to promise that you will dine with
us to-night, and make the Pater's acquaintance.  He is the very dearest
old chap that you ever met--your own father, of course, excepted--and he
will be enchanted to make your acquaintance.  He already knows you well
enough by name to speak of you as `Jack'."

"I will do so with pleasure," answered Singleton heartily.  "I have no
other engagement, and after one has been to a theatre or a concert every
night for a week--as I have--one begins to wish for a change.  And while
I don't wish to flatter you, Carlos, my boy, if your father is anything
like you he is a jolly good sort, and I shall be glad to know him.  But
we have run somewhat off the track, haven't we?  I understood that you
have some sort of proposal to make."

"Yes," answered Montijo, "I have.  Let me see--what were we talking
about?  Oh, yes, the yacht!  Well, now that she is built, we are in
something of a difficulty concerning her--a difficulty that did not
suggest itself to any of us until quite recently.  That difficulty is
the difficulty of ownership.  She has been built for the service of
Cuba, but somebody must be her acknowledged owner; and if she is
admitted to be the property of the Pater, of Marti, or, in fact, of any
Cuban, she will at once become an object of suspicion to the Spanish
Government, and her movements will be so jealously watched that it will
become difficult, almost to the verge of impossibility, for her to
render any of those services for which she is specially intended.  You
see that, Jack, don't you?"

"Certainly," answered Singleton, "that is obvious to the meanest
intellect, as somebody once remarked.  But how do you propose to get
over the difficulty?"

"There is only one way that the Pater and I can see out of it," answered
Montijo, "and that is to get somebody who is not likely to incur Spanish
suspicion to accept the nominal ownership of the yacht, under the
pretence of using her simply for his own pleasure."

"Phew!" whistled Singleton.  "That may be all right for the other
fellow, but how will it be for you?  For that scheme to work
satisfactorily you must not only find a man who will throw himself heart
and soul into your cause, but also one whose honesty is proof against
the temptation to appropriate to himself a yacht which will cost not far
short of forty thousand pounds.  For you must remember that unless the
yacht's papers are absolutely in order, and her apparent ownership
unimpeachable, it will be no good at all; she must be, so far at least
as all documentary evidence goes, the indisputable property of the
supposititious man of whom we have been speaking: and, that being the
case, there will be nothing but his own inherent honesty to prevent him
from taking absolute possession of her and doing exactly as he pleases
with her, even to selling her, should he be so minded.  Now, where are
you going to find a man whom you can trust to that extent?"

"I don't know, I'm sure," answered Montijo; "at least, I didn't until I
met you, Jack.  But if you are willing to be the man--"

"Oh, nonsense, my dear fellow," interrupted Jack, "that won't do at all,
you know!"

"Why not?" asked Montijo.  "Is it because you don't care to interfere in
Cuban affairs?  I thought that perhaps, as you are obliged to take a
longish holiday, with change of scene and interests, an outdoor life,
and so on, you would rather enjoy the excitement--"

"Enjoy it?" echoed Singleton.  "My dear fellow, `enjoy' is not the word,
I should simply revel in it; all the more because my sympathies are
wholly with the Cubans, while I--or rather my firm, have an old grudge
against the Spaniards, who once played us a very dirty trick, of which,
however, I need say nothing just now.  No, it is not that; it is--"

"Well, what is it?" demanded Montijo, seeing that Jack paused
hesitatingly.

"So near as I can put it," answered Jack, "it is this.  Your father
doesn't know me from Adam; and you only know as much as you learned of
me during the time that we were together at Dulwich.  How then can you
possibly tell that I should behave on the square with you?  How can you
tell that, after having been put into legal possession of the yacht, I
should not order you and your father ashore and forbid you both to ever
set foot upon her decks again?"

Montijo laughed joyously.  "Never mind how I know it, Jack," he
answered.  "I do know it, and that is enough.  And if that is not a
sufficiently convincing argument for you, here is another.  You will
admit that, in order to avoid the difficulty which I have pointed out,
we must trust somebody, mustn't we?  Very well.  Now I say that there is
no man in all the world whom I would so implicitly trust as yourself;
therefore I ask you, as a very great favour, to come into this affair
with us.  It will just nicely fill up your six months' holiday--for the
whole affair will be over in six months, or less--and give you such a
jolly, exciting time as you may never again meet with during the rest of
your life.  Now, what do you say to that?"

"I say that your Pater must be consulted before the matter is allowed to
go any further," answered Jack.  "You can mention it to him between now
and to-night, if you like, and if the idea is agreeable to him we can
discuss it after dinner.  And that reminds me that you have not yet
mentioned the place or the hour of meeting."

"We are staying at the Cecil, and we dine at seven sharp," answered
Montijo.  "But don't go yet, old chap, unless I am boring you.  Am I?"

"Do you remember my once punching your head at Dulwich for some trifling
misdemeanour?" asked Jack laughingly, as he linked his arm in that of
Montijo.  "Very well, then.  If you talk like that you will compel me to
do it again.  Do you know, Carlos, this scheme of yours is rapidly
exercising a subtle and singularly powerful fascination over me? and
even if your father should hesitate to entrust his boat to me, I feel
very like asking him to let me take a hand in the game, just for the fun
of the thing.  And what a splendid opportunity it would afford for
testing the powers of my submarine!  Oh, by Jove, I think I must go, one
way or another!"

The two young men wandered about the Park for nearly an hour longer,
discussing the matter eagerly, and even going so far as to make certain
tentative plans; and then they separated and went their respective ways,
with the understanding that they were to meet again at the Cecil.

Jack was putting up at Morley's Hotel, in Trafalgar Square, and his
nearest way back to it was, of course, down Piccadilly; but as he passed
out through the Park gate he suddenly bethought himself of certain
purchases that he wished to make at the Army and Navy Stores, and he
accordingly crossed the road and entered the Green Park, with the
intention of passing through it and Saint James's Park, and so into
Victoria Street by way of Queen Anne's Gate and the side streets leading
therefrom.  He had got about halfway across Green Park when he became
aware of quick footsteps approaching him from behind, and the next
moment he was overtaken and accosted by a rather handsome man,
irreproachably attired in frock-coat, glossy top-hat, and other garments
to match.  The stranger was evidently a foreigner--perhaps a Spaniard,
Jack thought, although he spoke English with scarcely a trace of accent.
Raising his hat, he said:

"Pardon me, sir, but may I venture to enquire whether the gentleman from
whom you parted a few minutes ago happens to be named Montijo?"

"Certainly," answered Jack; "there can be no possible objection to your
making such an enquiry, somewhat peculiar though it is.  But whether I
answer it or not must depend upon the reason which you may assign for
asking the question.  It is not usual, here in England, for total
strangers to ask such personal questions as yours without being prepared
to explain why they are asked."

"Precisely!" assented the stranger suavely.  "My reason for asking is
that I am particularly anxious to see Senor Montijo on very important
business of a strictly private nature, and should your friend happen to
be the gentleman in question I was about to ask if you would have the
very great goodness to oblige me with his present address."

"I see," said Jack.  "What caused you to think that my friend might
possibly be the individual you are so anxious to meet?"

"Simply a strong general resemblance, nothing more," answered the
stranger.

"Then, my dear sir," said Jack, "since you saw my friend--for otherwise
you could not have observed his strong general resemblance to the person
whom you are so anxious to meet--will you permit me to suggest that
obviously the proper thing for you to have done was to accost him when
the opportunity presented itself to you, instead of following me.
Before I answer your question I am afraid I must ask you to favour me
with your card, as a guarantee of your _bona fides_, you know."

"Certainly," answered the stranger unhesitatingly, as he felt in the
breast pocket of his coat for his card-case.  His search, however,
proved ineffectual, or at least no card-case was produced; and
presently, with an air of great vexation, he exclaimed:

"Alas! sir, I regret to say that I appear to have lost or mislaid my
card-case, for I certainly have not it with me.  My name, however, is--
Mackintosh," with just the slightest perceptible hesitation.

"Mackintosh!" exclaimed Jack with enthusiasm; "surely not one of the
Mackintoshes of Inveraray?"

"Certainly, my dear sir," answered the stranger effusively.  "You have
no doubt heard of us, and know us to be eminently respectable?"

"Never heard of you before," answered Jack, with a chuckle.  "Good-
morning, Mr Mackintosh!"  And with a somewhat ironical bow he left the
stranger gaping with astonishment.

"Now, what is the meaning of this, and what does Mr--Mackintosh--of
Inveraray--want with Carlos, I wonder?" mused the young man, as he
strode off across the Park.  He considered the matter carefully for a
few minutes, and presently snapped his fingers as he felt that he had
solved the puzzle.

"I don't believe he is in the least anxious to obtain Montijo's
address," he mused, "otherwise he would have followed Carlos--not me!
But I suspect that he has been quietly dogging Carlos, with a view to
discovering what friends he and his father make here in England; and,
having seen Carlos and me together for some hours to-day, he was
desirous of obtaining an opportunity to become acquainted with my
features and general appearance.  Shouldn't wonder if he follows me up
and tries to discover where I live--yes, there the beggar is, obviously
following me!  Very well, I have no objection; on the contrary, the task
of dodging him will add a new zest to life.  And I'll give him a good
run for his money!"

And therewith Jack, who had thus far been sauntering very quietly along,
suddenly stepped out at his smartest pace, and was greatly amused to
observe the anxiety which the stranger evinced to keep up with him.  Out
through the gate by the corner of Stafford House grounds strode Jack,
across the Mall, through the gate into Saint James's Park, and along the
path leading to the bridge, where he stopped, ostensibly to watch some
children feeding the ducks, but really to see what the stranger would
do.  Then on again the moment that the latter also stopped, on past the
drinking fountain and through the gate, across Birdcage Walk, and so
into Queen Anne's Gate, a little way along York Street, then to the left
and through into Victoria Street, across the road, and into the main
entrance of the Army and Navy Stores.  As he ran up the steps he glanced
over his shoulder and saw his pursuer frantically striving to dodge
between a 'bus and a hansom cab and still to keep his eyes on Jack, who
passed in through the heavy swing doors, through the grocery department,
sharp round to the right through the accountant's office into the
perfumery department, and so out into Victoria Street again, making
sure, as he passed out, that he had baffled his pursuer.  Turning to the
left, Jack then walked a little way down the street towards Victoria
Station until he saw a Camden Town 'bus coming up, when he quietly
crossed the road, boarded the 'bus, and ten minutes later stepped off it
again as it pulled up at its stopping-place at the corner of Trafalgar
Square.  Jack now looked carefully round once more, to make quite sure
that he had thrown "Mr Mackintosh" off the scent, satisfied himself
that the individual in question was nowhere in sight, and entered his
hotel.



CHAPTER TWO.

LIEUTENANT MILSOM, R.N.

The evening was fine, and the distance not far from Morley's to the
Cecil; Jack therefore did not trouble to take a cab, but, slipping on a
light dust-coat over his evening dress, set out to walk down the Strand
on his way to dine with his friend.  As he went his thoughts were
dwelling upon the incident of his afternoon encounter with the
mysterious "Mr Mackintosh, of Inveraray"; and he decided that he would
let Carlos and his father know that someone appeared to be taking rather
a marked interest in them and their movements.  A walk of some ten
minutes' duration sufficed to take him to his destination; and as he
turned in at the arcade which gives access to the hotel from the Strand,
whom should he see but the mysterious stranger, apparently intently
studying the steamship advertisements displayed in one of the windows of
the arcade, but in reality keeping a sharp eye upon the hotel entrances.

"Ah!" thought Jack; "watching, are you?  All right; I'll see if I can't
give you a bit of a scare, my friend!"  And, so thinking, the young
giant walked straight up to the stranger, and, gripping him firmly by
the arm, exclaimed:

"Hillo, Mackintosh, waiting for Mr Montijo, eh?  Is this where he is
stopping?  Because, if so, we may as well go in together, and see if he
is at home.  The sight of you reminds me that I rather want to see him
myself.  Come along, old chap!"  And therewith Jack, still retaining his
grip upon the stranger's arm, swung him round and made as though he
would drag him along to the hotel.

"Carrajo!  How dare you, sir!" exclaimed the stranger, vainly striving
to wrench himself free from Jack's grasp.  "Release me, sir; release me
instantly, you young cub, or I will call a policeman!"

"What!" exclaimed Jack, in affected surprise; "don't you wish to see
your friend Montijo?  Very well; run along, then.  But take notice of
what I say, Mr Mackintosh; if I find you hanging about here again I
will call a policeman and give you in charge as a suspicious character.
Now, be off with you, and do not let me see you again."

And, swinging him round, Jack thrust him away with such force that it
was with difficulty the man avoided falling headlong into the carriage-
way.  Then, calmly passing into the hotel, Singleton enquired for Senor
Montijo, and was ushered to that gentleman's private suite of rooms by
an obsequious waiter.

He found both father and son waiting for him in a very pretty little
drawing-room, and, Carlos having duly introduced his friend, the three
stood chatting together upon the various current topics of the day until
dinner was announced, when they filed into a small dining-room
adjoining.  Here also the conversation was of a strictly general
character, so long, at least, as the waiters were about; but at length
the latter withdrew, and the two young men, at Senor Montijo's request,
drew up their chairs closer to his.

Don Hermoso Montijo was a man in the very prime of life, being in his
forty-third year; and, fortune having been kind to him from the first,
while sickness of every description had carefully avoided him, he looked
even younger than his years.  He was a tall, powerful, and strikingly
handsome man, of very dark complexion, with black hair, beard, and
moustache, and dark eyes that sparkled with good humour and vivacity;
and his every movement and gesture were characterised by the stately
dignity of the true old Spanish hidalgo.  He had spoken but little
during dinner, his English being far from perfect; moreover, although he
had paid the most elaborately courteous attention to what Jack said, his
thoughts had seemed to be far away.  Now, however, he turned to his
guest and said, with an air of apology:

"Senor Singleton, I must pray you to me pardon if I have silent been
during--the--meal--of dinner, but I have not much of English, as you
have doubtless noticed.  Have you the Spanish?"

Jack laughed as he replied in that language: "What I have, Senor, I owe
entirely to Carlos here.  He may perhaps have told you that we two used
to amuse ourselves by teaching each other our respective tongues.  But I
am afraid I was rather a dull scholar; and if my Spanish is only half as
good as Carlos's English I shall be more than satisfied."

"I am afraid I am unable to judge the quality of Carlos's English,"
answered Don Hermoso, "but I beg to assure you, Senor, that your Spanish
is excellent; far better, indeed, than that spoken by many of my own
countrymen.  If it be not too tedious to you, Senor, I would beg you to
do me the favour of speaking Spanish for the remainder of the evening,
as I find it exceedingly difficult to make myself quite clearly
understood in English."

Jack having expressed his perfect readiness to fall in with this
suggestion, Don Hermoso continued:

"Carlos has been telling me what passed between you and him to-day,
Senor Singleton, and although I was naturally somewhat disinclined to
give an unqualified assent to his suggestion before I had seen you,
permit me to say that now, having seen, watched, and conversed with you,
nothing will give me greater pleasure than to endorse his proposal,
unless it be to hear that you agree to it."

"To be perfectly candid, Don Hermoso, I feel very strongly inclined to
do so," answered Jack.  "But before I can possibly give my assent to
Carlos's proposal you must permit me to clearly indicate the risks to
you involved in it.  You know absolutely nothing of me, Senor, beyond
what you have learned from your son; and it is in the highest degree
essential that you should clearly understand that what Carlos suggested
to me this afternoon involves you in the risk of losing your yacht, for
the carrying into effect of that proposal would make the vessel
positively my own, to do as I pleased with; and if I should choose to
retain possession of her, neither you nor anybody else could prevent
me."

"I very clearly understand all that, my dear young friend," answered Don
Hermoso, "and I am perfectly willing to take the risks, for several
reasons.  In the first place, if you were the kind of individual to do
what you have just suggested, I do not for an instant believe that you
would have warned me that the proposal involved me in the risk of losing
my yacht.  In the next place, although, as you say, I know little or
nothing about you, my son Carlos knows you pretty intimately, and I can
rely upon his judgment of you.  And, finally, I do not believe that any
Englishman in your position would or could be guilty of such infamous
conduct as you have suggested.  The fact is that we shall certainly be
obliged to trust somebody--for if it were once known that the yacht
belonged to me she would be so strictly watched that we could do little
or nothing with her; and I would naturally trust you, rather than a
stranger."

"Of course," answered Jack, "that is only natural, and I can quite
understand it.  Nevertheless I will not give you an answer at present;
you must have sufficient time to think the matter over at leisure, and
perhaps while doing so you may hit upon some alternative scheme that
will suit you better.  Meanwhile, let me tell you of a little adventure
that I had this afternoon, just after I had parted from you, Carlos--and
its continuation this evening.  It will perhaps interest you, for I am
greatly mistaken if it does not concern you both, even more than it does
me."

And therewith Jack proceeded to give a humorous relation of his two
encounters with the foreign-looking gentleman claiming to be one of the
Mackintoshes of Inveraray.  When at length he finished, father and son
looked at each other with glances of alarm, and simultaneously
exclaimed:

"Now, who can that possibly be?"

"Your description of the man does not in the least degree suggest any
particular individual to me," continued Don Hermoso; "but that, of
course, is not surprising, for a man must have a singularly striking
personality to allow of his being identified from verbal description
only.  But let him be who he may, I am quite disposed to agree with you
that his object in accosting you this afternoon was to enable him to
familiarise himself with your personal appearance; while the fact that
you caught him watching the hotel this evening would seem to indicate
that our presence in London is known, and that our visit is regarded
with a certain amount of suspicion.  This only strengthens my conviction
that your aid, my dear Senor Singleton, will be of the greatest value to
us, if we can succeed in persuading you to give it."

Don Hermoso's manner was such as to leave no room for doubt in the mind
of Singleton as to the sincerity of the Cuban, while the latter and his
son were easily able to see that their proposal strongly appealed to the
adventurous spirit of the young Englishman: it is therefore not
surprising that ere they parted that evening Singleton had definitely
agreed to become, for the time being, the apparent owner of the new
steam-yacht, and to take part in the gun-running adventure; also
agreeing to take along with him the working model of his submarine,
which all three were of opinion might be found exceedingly useful, while
the service upon which they were about to engage would afford Jack an
opportunity to put the craft to the test of actual work.

These important points having been arranged, it was further agreed that,
since the two Montijos were evidently under Spanish surveillance, they
should advertise their connection with the yacht as little as possible,
leaving the matters of the final trials of the vessel, the payment of
the last instalment of her cost, and her transfer to Jack's ownership
entirely in the hands of the agent who had thus far managed the business
for them; taking a holiday on the Continent, meanwhile, and joining the
vessel only at the last moment prior to her departure for Cuba.  And it
was further arranged that the ordering and shipment of the arms,
ammunition, and supplies destined for the use of the insurgents should
also be left absolutely in the hands of the agent and Jack conjointly;
by which means the Montijos would effectually avoid embroilment with the
Spanish authorities, while it was hoped that, by occupying the attention
of those authorities themselves, that attention would be completely
diverted from Jack and the yacht.  The settlement of these details and
of others incidental to them kept the three conspirators busy until
nearly midnight, when Jack rose to go, having already arranged to leave
the hotel by the side entrance in order to baffle the eminently
respectable "Mr Mackintosh", should that individual happen to be still
on the watch.  As it happened, he was; for upon leaving the hotel Jack
sauntered along the Embankment as far as Waterloo Bridge, then made his
way up into Lancaster Place, and there took a cab, in which he drove up
the Strand, where he saw his man, evidently on guard, strolling slowly
to and fro in front of the main entrance to the Cecil.

Now Jack, although a yacht owner, was not a member of any yacht club,
his cutter _Lalage_ being such an out-of-date craft, and so seldom in
use, that he had not thus far thought it worth while to very intimately
identify himself with what is the Englishman's pastime _par excellence_.
But as he thought over the events of the evening while smoking a final
pipe before turning in that night, it occurred to him that if he was to
successfully pose as the owner of a fine new steam-yacht, it was
imperative that he should become a member of some smart club; and as he
happened to have two or three intimate friends who belonged to the Royal
Thames, he decided upon attempting to procure election into that
somewhat exclusive club.  Accordingly, the next morning he addressed
letters to those friends, requesting them to undertake the matter of his
election, with the result, it may here be mentioned, that about three
weeks later he received a communication from the secretary of the club,
intimating his enrolment, and requesting the payment of his entrance fee
and first subscription.  This matter having been attended to, Jack next
addressed a letter to Senor Montijo's agent, making an appointment with
him for the afternoon; and then went out to interview his tailor and
outfitter, for the purpose of procuring a suitable outfit.

Then it occurred to him that for the especial work which the new yacht
was required to do she would need a first-rate crew, every man of whom
must be absolutely to be depended upon under all circumstances.  The
eight or ten hands comprising the crew of the _Lalage_ were all well-
known to him, having indeed belonged to the cutter for years, while she
was still the property of Jack's father, and they would doubtless serve
as the nucleus of the new ship's crew: but of course they would go but a
little way towards the manning of a steam-yacht of three hundred and
forty tons measurement; while Perkins, satisfactory as he had proved
himself in his capacity of skipper of the cutter, would never do as
commander of the new ship--though he might perhaps make a very good
chief officer.  Having arrived at this point in his meditations, Jack
suddenly bethought himself of Lieutenant Philip Milsom, R.N.  (retired),
who would make a perfectly ideal skipper for the new craft, and would
probably be glad enough to get to sea again for a few months, and
supplement his scanty income by drawing the handsome pay which the
captain of a first-class modern steam-yacht can command.  Whereupon the
young man turned into the next telegraph office that he came to, and
dispatched a wire to Milsom, briefly informing him that he had heard of
a berth which he thought would suit him, and requesting him to call at
Morley's Hotel on the following day.  And at lunch-time Jack received a
letter from Carlos Montijo, announcing the departure of his father and
himself for Paris, _en route_ for Switzerland, and containing an
itinerary and list of dates for Singleton's guidance in the event of his
finding it necessary to communicate with them.

Jack had finished his luncheon, and was taking a cup of coffee with his
cigarette in the smoke-room, when a waiter entered, bearing a card the
owner of which was enquiring for Mr Singleton.  The card bore the name
of "James M.  Nisbett", and Jack knew that Senor Montijo's agent had
arrived.  He accordingly directed the waiter to show Mr Nisbett up into
his private sitting-room.

Mr Nisbett was one of those agents whose business is generally brought
to them by foreign and colonial clients; and his transactions consisted
of obtaining for and forwarding to those clients anything and everything
that they might chance to require, whether it happened to be a pocket
knife, a bridal trousseau, or several hundred miles of railway; a
needle, or an anchor.  And, being a keen man of business, it was only
necessary to mention to him the kind of article required, and he was at
once prepared to say where that article might be best obtained.  Also,
being a tremendously busy man, he was wont to get straight to business,
without any circumlocution; and he did so in the present instance by
producing a letter which he had that morning received from Don Hermoso
Montijo, detailing the arrangement arrived at on the previous night
between himself and Jack, and authorising Nisbett to act upon Jack's
instructions precisely as though these instructions emanated directly
from Don Hermoso himself.  This letter very effectually cleared the
ground, and Jack at once began to detail to Nisbett full particulars of
all the arms, ammunition, stores, and articles generally which it was
intended to put on board the yacht for conveyance to Cuba; after which
arrangements were made for the final trials of the yacht prior to her
acceptance by Nisbett on behalf of his clients, and her subsequent
transference to Jack's ownership.  It was perfectly clear to Jack that
this last arrangement was distinctly unpalatable to Nisbett, who thought
he saw in it some deep-laid scheme for the theft of the yacht from her
actual owners; but when Jack explained the reasons which had actuated
the Montijos in making the proposal, and further cheerfully offered to
consent to any alternative scheme which would achieve the same result,
the man at once gave in, frankly admitting that the arrangement already
come to was the best that could be suggested.  He remained with Jack two
full hours, carefully discussing with him every point affecting the
success of the expedition; and when at length he retired he was fully
primed with all the information necessary to enable him to
satisfactorily perform his share of the task.

The following morning brought Jack a visitor of a very different but
equally thorough type, in the person of Lieutenant Philip Milsom, R.N.,
who sent in his card while the young man was still dawdling over a
rather late breakfast.

"Bring the gentleman in here," ordered Jack; and a minute later the
waiter re-appeared, conducting a dapper-looking, clean-shaven man of
medium height, attired in a suit of blue serge, the double-breasted
jacket of which he wore buttoned tight to his body.  This individual
spotted Jack instantly, and, pushing the waiter on one side, bustled up
with outstretched hand to the table at which the young man was sitting,
exclaiming in a brisk, cheery voice:

"Hillo, Jack, my hearty, what cheer?  Gad! what a big lump of a chap you
have become since I saw you last--how long ago?--ay, it must be more
than two years.  But, nevertheless, I should have known you anywhere,
from your striking likeness to your poor father.  Well, and how are you,
my lad, eh?  Not very much the matter with you, I should say--and yet I
don't know; you look a trifle chalky about the gills, and your clothes
seem to hang rather more loosely than they should.  What have you been
doing with yourself, eh?"

"Oh, nothing very dreadful!" laughed Jack, "only overworking myself a
trifle, so I am told.  But sit down, there's a good fellow, and--have
you breakfasted, by the way?"

"Breakfasted very nearly three hours ago, my boy," was the answer.  "But
if you want me to join you--I see you are still busy at it--don't be
bashful, but say so straight out, and I'll not refuse, for the journey
up has given me a fresh appetite."

"That's right," said Jack.  "Now, which will you have, coffee or tea?
And you can take your choice of ham and eggs, steak, chop, and fish."

"Thanks!" said Milsom, "I'll take coffee--and a steak, rather underdone.
And while the steak is getting ready I'll amuse myself with one of
those rolls and a pat of butter, if you don't mind.  I got your
telegram, by the way, or of course I shouldn't be here.  What is the
job, my boy, eh?  I suppose it is something that a gentleman may
undertake, or you wouldn't have thought of me, eh?"

"Of course," said Jack; "that is to say, I think so.  But you must judge
for yourself whether the post is such as you would care to accept.  The
fact is that, as I told you just now, I have been overworking myself;
and a specialist whom I have come down here to consult tells me that I
must take a long holiday in the open air.  I have therefore decided to
go on a yachting cruise--to the West Indies, probably--and I want you to
take command of the ship for me.  She is a brand-new, three-hundred-and-
forty-ton steam-yacht, of eight hundred indicated horse-power, and her
guaranteed sea speed is twenty-two knots."

Milsom pursed up his lips and gave vent to a prolonged whistle as Jack
enunciated these particulars; then his features relaxed into a broad
smile as he extended his right hand across the table to Jack,
exclaiming:

"I'm your man!  As I came along in the train this morning I was
cogitating what was the smallest amount of pay that I would take for
this job--whatever it might be; but, by the piper, Jack, the mere
pleasure of commanding such a craft would be payment enough for me, and
I'm quite willing to take it on free, gratis, and for nothing, if you
say so."

"The pay," said Jack, "will be at the rate of thirty pounds sterling per
calendar month, with uniform and your keep, of course, thrown in."

"Good enough!" exclaimed Milsom enthusiastically.  "You may take it that
upon these terms I accept the command of the--what's her name?"

"She is so new," said Jack, "that she has not yet been given a name.  At
present she is known simply as Number 78.  But"--lowering his voice--"I
have not yet told you everything; you had better wait until you have
heard all that I have to say before you definitely decide.  Meanwhile,
here comes your steak and some fresh coffee, so you had better get your
breakfast; and when you have finished we will both go up to my private
room."

"Right ho!" acquiesced Milsom, who forthwith turned his attention to his
second breakfast, saying very little more until he intimated that he had
finished, and was now quite ready to resume the discussion of the matter
that had brought him up to town.  Accordingly, Jack conducted his friend
up to his private sitting-room, waved him into a chair, and took one
himself.

"Ah!" exclaimed Milsom, in a tone that conveyed his complete
satisfaction with things in general; "this is all right.  I suppose, by
the way, a chap may smoke here, mayn't he?"

"Of course," said Jack; "smoke away as hard as you please, old man.
Have a cigar?"

"No, thanks," answered the Navy man; "good, honest, stick tobacco,
smoked out of a well-seasoned brier, is good enough for me--unless one
can get hold of a real, genuine Havana, you know; but they are scarcely
to be had in these days."

"All the same, I think we may perhaps manage to get hold of one or two
where we are going," said Jack; "that is to say, if you are still
willing to take on the job after you have heard what I am bound to tell
you."

"Ah!" exclaimed Milsom; "something in the background, eh?  Well, it
can't be very terrible, I fancy, Jack, or you would not be mixed up in
it.  However, heave ahead, my lad, and let us hear the worst, without
further parley."

"Well," said Jack, "the fact is that the yachting trip is all a `blind',
and is in reality neither more nor less than a gun-running expedition in
aid of the Cuban revolutionaries.  And the yacht is really not mine, but
belongs to a certain very wealthy Cuban gentleman who, being, like most
Cubans, utterly sick of the Spanish misgovernment of the island, has
thrown in his lot with the patriots, and has had the craft specially
built for their service.  But, recognising that to declare his ownership
of her would at once arouse the suspicion of the Spaniards, and attract
a tremendous amount of unwelcome attention to her, he has persuaded me
to assume the apparent ownership of the vessel, and to undertake a trip
to the West Indies in her, ostensibly for my health, but actually to run
into the island a consignment of arms and ammunition, and otherwise to
assist the patriots in every possible way."

"I see," observed Milsom thoughtfully.  "That means, of course, that I
should really be in the service of the Cuban gentleman, instead of in
yours.  That makes a very important difference, Jack, for, you see, I
shall have to look to him, instead of to you, for my pay; and smuggling
contraband of war is a very different matter from navigating a
gentleman's private yacht, and is work for which I shall expect to be
well paid."

"Then am I to understand that you regard thirty pounds per month as
insufficient?" demanded Jack.

"Not at all, my dear boy," answered Milsom quickly, "do not
misunderstand me; I am quite content with the pay, but as the service is
one that I can see with half an eye will involve a good deal of risk, I
want to be quite certain of getting it.  Now, is your friend to be
absolutely depended upon in that respect?  You see, if this insurrection
should fail--as it probably will--your friend may be killed, or
imprisoned, and all his property confiscated; and then I may whistle for
my money."

"I think not," said Jack.  "For my friend has left the management of
everything in my hands, and I will see that you are all right.  But I am
very glad that you have raised the point; for it has enabled me to see
that the proper thing will be to deposit a sufficient sum in an English
bank to cover the pay of all hands for a period of--well, say twelve
months.  What do you say to that?"

"I say," answered Milsom, "that it will be quite the proper thing to do,
and will smooth away a very serious difficulty.  But, Jack, my boy, has
it occurred to you that you will be running a good many quite
unnecessary risks by mixing yourself up in this affair?  For you must
remember that we may be compelled to fight, before all is done; while,
if we are captured, it may mean years of imprisonment in a Spanish penal
settlement, which will be no joke, I can assure you, my lad!"

"Ah!" answered Jack.  "To be quite frank, I had not thought of the last
contingency you mention.  But `in for a penny, in for a pound'; I'll
take the risk, and trust to my usual good luck to keep me out of a
Spanish prison.  The fact is, Phil, that I am fairly aching for a bit of
adventure, and I simply must have it."

"Very well," said Milsom grimly; "I think you have hit upon a most
excellent scheme for getting it!  My advice to you, Jack, is to leave
the whole thing severely alone; but, whether you do or not, I am in it,
so please give me your orders.  And, mind you, Jack, I take them from
you, and from nobody else."

"Very well," said Jack.  "It may be necessary for you to modify that
resolution later on, but let that pass; at present, at all events, you
will receive all instructions from me, and regard me as the owner of the
vessel.  Now the first thing to be done is to secure a good crew; and,
as I have told you precisely the kind of work that will have to be done,
I shall look to you to provide the right sort of officers and men.  I
suppose you will have to give them a hint that they will be required to
do something more than mere everyday yachting work--and you must arrange
their pay accordingly; but, while doing this, you must be careful not to
let out the true secret, or it will not remain such for very long.  And
you need not trouble to provide the engine-room staff; I think I can
manage that part of the business myself."

"I see," answered Milsom.  "You wish me to engage merely the officers,
seamen, and stewards?  Very well.  How many guns will she carry?"

"Guns?" echoed Jack.  "By Jove, I had not thought of that!  Will she
need any guns?"

"She certainly will, if she is to be as useful as she ought to be,"
answered Milsom.

"Um!" said Jack; "that complicates matters a bit, doesn't it?  I am
afraid that I must refer that point to Senor Montijo, the actual owner.
What sort of armament would you recommend for such a craft, Phil?"

"Oh! not a very heavy one," answered Milsom; "probably four 12-pounders,
of the latest pattern, and a couple of Maxims would be sufficient."

Jack made a note of these particulars for reference to Senor Montijo,
and then said:

"Now, is there anything else that you can think of, Phil?"

"Nothing except an outfit of small arms--rifles, revolvers, and
cutlasses, you know, for the crew," answered Milsom.  "If anything else
should occur to me I will write and mention it."

"Very well; pray do so," said Jack.  "Now, I think that is all for the
present.  Pick a first-class, thoroughly reliable crew, Phil.  I give
you a week in which to look for them, by which time I expect the boat
will be ready to receive them.  Then you can bring them all north with
you, and we will ship them in the proper orthodox style.  Now, good-bye;
and good luck to you in your search!"



CHAPTER THREE.

THE S.Y.  THETIS, R.T.Y.C.

The next day was spent by Jack, at Mr Nisbett's invitation, in
visiting, in the company of that gentleman, the establishments of
certain manufacturers of firearms, where he very carefully inspected and
tested the several weapons submitted to him for approval; finally
selecting a six-shot magazine rifle, which was not only a most excellent
weapon in all other respects, but one especially commending itself to
him on account of the simplicity of its mechanism, which he believed
would prove to be a very strong point in its favour when put into the
hands of such comparatively unintelligent persons as he strongly
suspected the rank and file of the Cuban insurgents would prove to be.
He also decided upon an exceedingly useful pattern of sword-bayonet to
go with the rifle, and also a six-shot revolver of an especially
efficient character; and there and then gave the order--through Mr
Nisbett--for as large a number of these weapons, together with
ammunition for the same, as he believed the yacht could conveniently
stow away.  This done, he returned to his hotel, reaching it just in
good time for dinner; and devoted the evening to the concoction of a
letter to Senor Montijo, at Lucerne, reporting all that he had thus far
done, also referring to Don Hermoso the important question of the
yacht's armament, and somewhat laboriously transcribing the said letter
into cipher.

Jack's business in London was now done; on the following morning,
therefore, he took train back to Newcastle.  He called upon Mr Murdock,
his partner, in the evening, explaining the arrangement which he had
made to pay a visit to Cuba, including the rather singular proposal of
Senor Montijo to which he had consented, as to the apparent ownership of
the new yacht; and listened patiently but unconvinced to all Murdock's
arguments against what the canny Northumbrian unhesitatingly denounced
as an utterly hare-brained scheme.  The next two days he devoted to the
task of putting all his affairs in order, lest anything serious should
happen to him during the progress of his adventure; and on the third day
Nisbett presented himself, with his consulting naval architect, to
witness the final trials of the yacht before accepting her, on behalf of
Senor Montijo, from the builders.  These trials were of a most searching
and exhaustive character, lasting over a full week, at the end of which
came the coal-consumption test, consisting of a non-stop run northward
at full speed, through the Pentland Firth, round Cape Wrath; then
southward outside the Hebrides and past the west coast of Ireland,
thence from Mizen Head across to Land's End; up the English Channel and
the North Sea, to her starting-point.  The run down past the west coast
of Ireland, and part of the way up the Channel, was accomplished in the
face of a stiff south-westerly gale and through a very heavy sea, in
which the little craft behaved magnificently, the entire trial, from
first to last, being of the most thoroughly satisfactory character, and
evoking the unmeasured admiration of the naval architect under whose
strict supervision it was performed.  Jack was on board throughout the
trial, as the representative of the builders, and his experience of the
behaviour of the boat was such as to fill him with enthusiasm and
delight at the prospect of the coming trip.  The contract was certified
as having been faithfully and satisfactorily completed, the final
instalment of the contract price was paid, and Nisbett, on behalf of
Senor Montijo, took over the vessel from the builders, at once
transferring the ownership of her to Jack.  Meanwhile a letter had
arrived from Senor Montijo, authorising the arming of the ship in
accordance with Milsom's suggestion, and the _Thetis_, as she had been
named, was once more laid alongside the wharf to receive certain extra
fittings which were required to admit of the prompt mounting of her
artillery when occasion should seem to so require.

In the meantime Jack had written to Milsom, extending the time allowed
the latter in which to pick up a suitable crew, and at the same time
suggesting that Perkins and the rest of the crew of the _Lalage_ should
be afforded an opportunity to join the _Thetis_, should they care to do
so, subject, of course, to Milsom's approval of them; and by the time
that the extra fittings were in place, and the little ship drydocked and
repainted outside, the Navy man had come north with his retinue, and the
hands were duly shipped, Jack having, with the assistance of the
superintendent of his fitting-shops, meanwhile selected a first-rate
engine-room staff and stokehold crew.

The completing of all these arrangements carried the time on to the last
week of July; and on the 28th day of that month the _Thetis_ steamed
down the Tyne on her way to Cowes, Jack having decided to give as much
vraisemblance as possible to his apparent ownership of the vessel, and
to the pretence that he was yachting for health's sake, by putting in
the month of August in the Solent, during which the order for arms,
ammunition, etcetera, would be in process of execution.  Although Jack
was not a racing man--the _Lalage_ being of altogether too ancient a
type to pose as a racer--he was by no means unknown in the yachting
world, and he found a host of acquaintances ready and willing to welcome
his appearance in Cowes Roads, especially coming as he did in such a
fine, handsome little ship as the _Thetis_; and for the first fortnight
of the racing the new steamer, with her burgee and blue ensign, was a
quite conspicuous object as, with large parties of friends, both male
and female, on board, she followed the racers up and down the sparkling
waters of the Solent.  Jack was precisely of that light-hearted, joyous
temperament which can find unalloyed pleasure amid such surroundings,
and he threw himself heart and soul into the daily gaieties with an
abandon that was sufficient, one would have thought, to have utterly
destroyed all possible suspicion as to the existence of ulterior
motives.  Yet, happening to be ashore one afternoon with a party of
friends, he was startled, as they walked down the High Street at Cowes,
to see coming toward him a man whom he believed he had met somewhere
before.  The individual did not appear to be taking very particular
notice of anything just at the moment, seeming indeed to be sunk deep in
thought; but when he was about ten yards from Jack's party he suddenly
looked up and found the young man's eyes fixed enquiringly upon him.
For an instant he stopped dead, and an expression of mingled annoyance
and fear flashed into his eyes; then he turned quickly and sprang, as if
affrighted, into the door of a shop opposite which he had paused.  But
in that instant Jack remembered him; he was "Mr Mackintosh, of
Inveraray!"

"Now what, in the name of fortune, is that chap doing down here?"
wondered Singleton.  "Is it accident and coincidence only, or has he
discovered something, and come down here to watch my doings and those of
the yacht?  That is a very difficult question to answer, for one meets
all sorts of people at Cowes during August; yet that fellow does not
look as though he knew enough about yachts to have been attracted here
by the racing.  And he was evidently desirous of avoiding recognition by
me, or why did he bolt into that shop as he did?  I am prepared to swear
that he did not want to buy anything; he had not the remotest intention
of entering the place until he saw me.  Of course that may have been
because of the scare I gave him that night at the Cecil--or, on the
other hand, it may have been because he did not wish me to know that he
was anywhere near me.  Anyhow, it does not matter, for my doings down
here have been absolutely innocent, and such as to disarm even the
suspicion of a suspicious Spanish spy; and in any case he cannot very
well follow me wherever I go.  Perhaps before the month is out his
suspicions--if he has any--will be laid at rest, since I am just now
doing absolutely nothing to foster or strengthen them, and he will come
to the conclusion that there is no need to watch me.  But I am very glad
that the idea occurred to me of never running the boat at a higher speed
than fourteen knots while we have been down here; there is nothing to be
gained by giving away her real speed, and--who knows?--a little harmless
deception in that matter may one day stand us in good stead."

Thenceforward, whenever Jack had occasion to go ashore, he always kept a
particularly smart lookout for "Mr Mackintosh"; but he saw him no more
during the remainder of his stay in the Solent.  Yet a few days later an
incident occurred which, although unmarked by any pronounced
significance, rather tended to impress upon Jack the conviction that
somebody was evincing a certain amount of interest in the speed
qualifications of the _Thetis_, although it was quite possible that he
might have been mistaken.  This incident took the form of a somewhat
sudden proposal to get up a race for steam-yachts round the island, for
a cup of the value of fifty guineas.  Such a proposal was a little
remarkable, from the fact that steam-yacht racing is a form of sport
that is very rarely indulged in by Englishmen, at least in English
waters; yet everything must necessarily have a beginning, and there was
no especial reason why steam-yacht racing should not be one of those
things, particularly as the idea appeared to be received with some
enthusiasm by certain owners of such craft.  When the matter was first
mentioned to Singleton, and it was suggested that he should enter the
_Thetis_ for the race, he evinced a disposition to regard the proposal
with coldness, as he had already arrived at the conclusion that it might
be unwise to reveal the boat's actual capabilities; but his attitude was
so strongly denounced as unsportsmanlike, and he found himself subjected
to such urgent solicitations--not to say pressure--that he quickly grew
suspicious, and mentioned the matter to Milsom.  Milsom, in turn, after
considering the matter for a little, suggested that the chief engineer
of the boat should be consulted, with the result that it was ultimately
decided to enter the _Thetis_ for the race, Macintyre undertaking that
while the yacht should present to onlookers every appearance of being
pushed to the utmost--plenty of steam blowing off, and so on--her speed
should not be permitted to exceed fifteen knots, and only be allowed to
reach that at brief intervals during the race.  With this understanding
Jack agreed to enter, and the race duly came off in splendid weather,
and was pronounced to be a brilliant success, the _Thetis_ coming in
third, but losing the race by only eight seconds on her time allowance.
Nobody was perhaps better pleased at the result than Jack, for the new
boat made a brave show and apparently struggled gamely throughout the
race to win the prize, the "white feather" showing from first to last on
the top of her waste pipe, and a thin but continuous film of light-brown
smoke issuing from her funnel from start to finish.  If anyone happened
to have taken the trouble to get up the race with the express object of
ascertaining the best speed of the _Thetis_, they knew it now; it was
fourteen knots, rising to nearly fifteen for a few minutes occasionally
when the conditions were especially favourable!

With the approach of the end of the month the yachts began to thin out
more and more perceptibly every day, the racers going westward and the
cruisers following them; the steam-yachts hanging on to accompany the
Channel Match to Weymouth.  The _Thetis_ was one of these; and Jack
allowed it to be pretty generally understood that after the Weymouth
regatta was over he intended to run north for a month or so, visiting
the Baltic, and perhaps proceeding as far east as Cronstadt.  But
yachtsmen are among the most capricious of men--some of them never know
from one moment to another what they really intend to do; thus it is,
after all, not very surprising that when the _Thetis_ arrived off the
mouth of the Tyne Jack Singleton should suddenly give orders for her
nose to be turned shoreward, and that, an hour or two later, she should
glide gently up alongside and make fast to the private wharf of
Singleton, Murdock, and Company.  What is surprising is that, when she
was seen approaching, some fifty of Singleton, Murdock, and Company's
most trusty hands received sudden notice that they were required for an
all-night job; and that at dawn the next morning the _Thetis_ drew a
full foot more water than she had done when she ran alongside the wharf
some twelve hours earlier, although in the interim she had not taken an
ounce of coal into her bunkers.

It so happened that Mr Murdock was absent on important business when
the _Thetis_ arrived alongside the wharf, and he did not return to
Newcastle until nearly midnight, when he, of course, made the best of
his way to his own house.  But he was at the works betimes next morning,
and, knowing that the yacht was expected, he took the wharf on his way
to the office, with the object of ascertaining whether she had arrived.
The sight of her lying alongside in all her bravery of white enamel
paint, gilt mouldings, and polished brasswork caused him to heave a
great sigh of relief; and he joyously hurried forward to greet Jack,
whom he saw standing on the wharf engaged in earnest conversation with
the yard foreman.

"Good-morning, Singleton!--Morning, Price!" he exclaimed as he
approached the two.  "Well, Jack," he continued, "so you arrived up to
time, eh?  And by the look of the boat I should say that you've got the
stuff on board; is that so?  Ah! that's all right; I am precious glad to
hear it, I can tell you, for to have those cases accumulating here day
after day has been a source of great anxiety to me."

"Sorry!" remarked Jack cheerfully.  "But why should they worry you, old
chap?  Everything is securely packed in air-tight, zinc-lined cases, so
that there was really no very serious cause for anxiety or fear, even of
an explosion.  Such a thing could not possibly happen except by the
downright deliberate act of some evil--disposed individual; and I don't
think--"

"Precisely," interrupted Murdock; "that was just what was worrying me--
at least, it was one of the things that was worrying me.  Not on account
of our own people, mind you; I believe them to be loyal and trustworthy
to a man.  But I cannot help thinking that some hint of your expedition
must have leaked out, for we have never had so many strangers about the
place since I have been in the business as we have had during the last
fortnight, while those cases have been arriving.  We have simply been
overwhelmed with business enquiries of every description--enquiries as
to our facilities for the execution of repairs; enquiries as to the
quickest time in which we could build and deliver new ships; enquiries
respecting new engines and machinery of every conceivable kind, not one
of which will probably come to anything.  And the thing that troubled me
most was that every one of these people wanted to be shown over the
place from end to end, in order that they might judge for themselves, as
they explained, whether our works were sufficiently extensive and up-to-
date to enable us to execute the particular kind of work that they
wanted done: and every mother's son of them gravitated, sooner or later,
to the spot where those precious cases of yours were stacked, and seemed
profoundly interested in them; while one chap, who was undoubtedly a
foreigner, had the impudence to insinuate that the marks and addresses
on the cases, indicating that they were sugar machinery for Mauritius,
were bogus!  I sent him to the rightabout pretty quickly, I can tell
you.  Why, what the dickens are you laughing at, man?  It is no laughing
matter, I give you my word!"

For Jack had burst into a fit of hearty laughter at Murdock's righteous
indignation.

"No, no; of course not, old chap," answered Jack, manfully struggling to
suppress his mirth; "awfully annoying it must have been, I'm sure.
Well, is that all?"

"No," answered Murdock indignantly, "it is not; nor is it the worst.
Only the day before yesterday we had a man poking about here who said he
was from the Admiralty.  He wanted nothing in particular for the moment,
he said, but was simply making a tour of the principal shipyards of the
country, with the view of ascertaining what were the facilities of each
for the execution of Admiralty work.  He, too, was vastly interested in
those precious cases of yours, so much so, indeed, that I should not
have been at all surprised if he had asked to have the whole lot of them
opened!  Oh, yes! of course I know he could not have gone to such a
length as that without assigning some good and sufficient reason; but I
tell you, Jack, that we are playing a dangerous game, and I will not be
a party to a repetition of it.  A pretty mess we should be in if the
British Government were to discover that we are aiding and abetting
insurgents in arms against the authority of a friendly Power!  Why, it
would mean nothing short of ruin--absolute ruin--to us!"

"Yes, you are quite right, old chap, it would," agreed Jack soberly;
"and if Senor Montijo wants to ship any more stuff after this, it must
not be through this yard.  But it is all aboard and out of sight now,
and we leave for--um--Mauritius, shall we say?--this afternoon; so there
is no need for you to worry any further about it."

"Well, to be perfectly candid with you, Jack," said Murdock, "I shall
not be at all sorry to see the _Thetis_ safely away from this and on her
way down the river, for I shall not be quite comfortable and easy in my
mind until I do.  And you will have to be very careful what you are
about, my boy; `there is no smoke without fire', and all this fuss and
prying about of which I have been telling you means something, you may
depend.  It would not very greatly surprise me if you discover that you
are being followed and watched."

"We must take our chance of that," laughed Jack.  "Not that I am very
greatly afraid.  The fact is, Murdock, that you are constitutionally a
nervous man, and you have worried yourself into a perfect state of scare
over this business.  But never mind, your anxiety will soon be over now,
for here comes our coal, if I am not mistaken; and I promise you that we
will be off the moment that we have taken our last sack on board.  But I
will run into the office and say good-bye before I go."

The church clocks were just striking two when, Jack having duly
fulfilled his promise to say good-bye to his partner, and to exchange a
final word or two with him, the _Thetis_ cast off from the wharf, backed
out into the stream, and, swinging round, swept away down the river at
the modest rate of fourteen knots, that being her most economical speed,
and the pace at which, in order to make her coal last out, it had been
decided that she should cross the Atlantic.  She sat very deep in the
water, and her decks, fore and aft, were packed with coal, in sacks so
closely stowed that there was only a narrow gangway left between them
from the foot of the ladder abaft the deck-house to the companion, and a
similar gangway from the fore end of the bridge deck to the forecastle.
If it was necessary for the men to pass to any other part of the ship,
such as to the ensign staff, for instance, they had to climb over the
sacks.  She was particularly well equipped with boats, too: there were a
steam pinnace and a whaler in chocks on the starboard side of the deck-
house, balanced by the lifeboat and cutter on the other; and she carried
no less than four fine, wholesome boats at her davits aft, all nicely
covered over with canvas, to protect them from the sun--and also, in one
case, to screen from too curious eyes Jack's submarine, which was snugly
stowed away in the largest quarter boat, that craft having had her
thwarts removed to make room for the submarine.  Twenty-six hours later,
namely, at four o'clock on the following afternoon, the _Thetis_
anchored off Boulogne; the steam pinnace was lowered, and Jack,
accompanied by four seamen, proceeded into the harbour, landing at the
steps near the railway station.  From thence it was a very short walk to
the hotel to which he was bound; and in a few minutes he was at his
destination, enquiring for Monsieur Robinson.  "Yes," he was informed,
"Monsieur Robeenson was in, and was expecting a Monsieur Singleton.
Possibly Monsieur might be the gentleman in question?"  Jack confessed
that he was; and, being piloted upstairs, was presently shown into a
room where he found Don Hermoso Montijo and his son Carlos obviously
waiting for him.  As he entered they both sprang to their feet and
advanced toward him with outstretched hands.

"Ah, Senor Singleton," exclaimed Don Hermoso, "punctual to the minute,
or, rather"--glancing at his watch--"a few minutes before your time!  We
duly received your wire in Paris this morning, and came on forthwith.  I
am delighted to learn that everything has gone so smoothly.  Do I
understand that you are now ready to sail for Cuba?"

"Certainly, Don Hermoso," answered Jack; "we can be under way in half an
hour from this, if you like; or whenever you please.  It is for you to
say when you would like to start."

"Then in that case we may as well be off at once," said Don Hermoso.
"For the first fortnight or three weeks of our tour through Switzerland
we were undoubtedly the objects of a great deal of interested attention,
but latterly we have not been so acutely conscious of being followed and
watched; everything that we did was so perfectly open and frank that I
think the persons who had us under surveillance must have become
convinced that their suspicions of us were groundless, and consequently
they relaxed their attentions.  And I believe that we managed to get
away from Paris this morning without being followed.  If that is the
case we have of course managed to throw the watchers off the scent, for
the moment at least, and it will no doubt be wise to get away from here
before it is picked up again.  I hope that you, Senor, have not been
subjected to any annoyance of that kind?"

"No," said Jack laughingly, "I have not, beyond meeting at Cowes with
that man who called himself Mackintosh--of which I informed you in one
of my letters--I have had little or no cause to believe that I have
become an object of suspicion to the Spanish Government.  It is true
that a race for steam-yachts was got up, a little while before I left
the Solent, under circumstances which suggested to me that an attempt
was being made to ascertain the best speed of the _Thetis_; but the
attempt might have existed only in my imagination, and if it was
otherwise, the plan was defeated, so no harm was done.  But my partner
has been a good deal worried recently by the incursions of a number of
inquisitive strangers, who have obtruded themselves upon him and invaded
our works with what he considers very inadequate excuses.  His fixed
impression is that a whisper was somehow allowed to get abroad that
arms, ammunition, and stores were to be shipped from our yard for the
use of the Cuban insurgents, and that the inquisitive strangers were
neither more nor less than emissaries of the Spanish Government, sent
down to investigate into the truth of the matter.  They one and all
appear to have betrayed a quite remarkable amount of interest in the
cases, and one individual at least seems to have pretty broadly hinted
his doubts as to the genuineness of the markings on them.  Also, our own
Government appears to have received a hint of what we were doing, and to
have sent a man down to investigate; I am afraid, therefore, that
despite all our precautions, we have not wholly succeeded in avoiding
suspicion.  And if such should be the case it will be a pity, for it
will certainly mean trouble for us all later on."

"The stronger the reason why we should start without further delay,"
said Don Hermoso.  "Carlos, oblige me by ringing the bell."

The bell was rung, the bill asked for and paid, the various servants
generously tipped, and the little party set out.  The Montijos' luggage
had been left in the hall of the hotel: there was nothing therefore but
for the four seamen to seize it, shoulder it, and carry it down to the
pinnace; and this occupied but a few minutes.  A quarter of an hour
later the party had gained the deck of the yacht, and the pinnace was
once more reposing in her chocks on the bridge deck.

"Get your anchor up, Mr Milsom, if you please," said Jack, allowing his
eyes to stray shoreward as Milsom repeated the order to the mate.  As he
looked, he became aware of something in the nature of a commotion or
disturbance at the end of the pier; and, entering the chart-house, he
brought forth a pair of splendid binoculars with which to investigate.
Upon applying the glasses to his eyes he saw that there was a little
crowd of perhaps fifty people gathered on the pier end, all eagerly
listening to a man who was talking and gesticulating with great
vehemence as he pointed excitedly toward the yacht.  The man appeared to
be particularly addressing two gendarmes who were among the crowd, but
everybody was clustering close round him and listening, apparently in a
state of the greatest excitement, to what he had to say, while
occasionally one or another in the crowd would face seaward and shake
his fist savagely at the yacht.

"Come here a moment, Carlos," called Jack.  "I want you to look through
these glasses at the mob gathered yonder on the pier end, and especially
at the excited individual in their midst, and tell me whether you
remember having ever seen him before."

Young Montijo took the glasses from Jack, looked intently through them
for a full minute, and then turned to Singleton, saying:

"Why, yes, of course I do.  He is the chap that the Pater and I were
constantly meeting, wherever we went, while we were in Switzerland.  We
met him so repeatedly that at length we could not avoid the conviction
that he was dogging our footsteps.  On board the steamers, in the
trains, even when out driving, it was continually the same; we did not
seem able to get away from him.  He never took the slightest notice of
us, but that only made us suspect him all the more, because in the case
of other people, after we had encountered them a few times, many of them
bowed to us, some even entered into conversation with us; but although
that fellow stopped at the same hotels as we used, and generally
contrived to sit at the same table with us, he never allowed himself to
show, by so much as a momentary glance, that he had ever seen us before.
Oh, yes"--as he again applied the glasses to his eyes--"that is the
same man; I could swear to him among a thousand.  And what is he after
now?  Upon my word it looks very much as though he intended to follow us
on board here!  See, there are two men bringing a boat along toward the
steps at the end of the pier, and--yes--by Jove, that is what he means
to do!  And he is bringing the gendarmes with him!  Now what mischief
can he possibly be up to?  The Pater and I have done nothing--"

"Let me have a look," interrupted Jack, almost snatching the binoculars
out of his friend's hand, and putting them up to his eyes.

"Ay," he said, "you are right, Carlos, undoubtedly.  There he goes down
the steps, with the policemen at his heels.  Yes; now they get into the
boat and seat themselves.  Yes, he is pointing out the yacht to the
boatmen, and now they are shoving off and heading this way!--Mr
Milsom," he broke off suddenly, "what is the best news with regard to
that anchor of ours?"

"Forecastle there!" shouted Milsom; "how are you coming on with your
anchor?"

"The cable's almost up and down, sir," answered Perkins, the chief mate,
who was standing by the knight-heads and hanging on by the forestay as
he leaned over to watch the cable.  "We shall break out in about a
couple of minutes."

"And it will take that boat ten minutes, at least, to get alongside,
even if they keep up their present pace," remarked Jack.  "We will get a
move on the ship, Phil, as soon as the anchor is out of the ground; I
don't very much like the look of those gendarmes in that boat."

"No; nor do I," answered Milsom.  "Quartermaster, tend the wheel!"

"But surely they cannot do anything!" exclaimed Carlos.  "What could
they do?"

"Well," said Jack, "I have heard, before now, of people being arrested
upon false charges, either for the purpose of obtaining possession and
getting a sight of their private papers; or with the object of detaining
them until it became too late for them to accomplish a certain
undertaking; or until some other and more serious charge could be
trumped up against them, and the necessary witnesses found and coached
to procure their conviction.  It would be rather a bad thing for Cuba,
for instance, if, at this particular juncture in its affairs, your
father were clapped in prison and kept there for a couple of years."

"Well, yes, I suppose it would," agreed Carlos.

"Anchor's aweigh, sir!" reported Perkins, at this moment, as the steam
windlass, after slowing down until it nearly stopped, suddenly started
to clank at racing speed.

"Very good," answered Milsom.  "Up with it as fast as you please."
Then, with a casual glance at the approaching boat, which was by this
time within about a quarter of a mile of the yacht, he laid his hand
upon the engine-room telegraph and signalled: "Quarter speed ahead!"



CHAPTER FOUR.

CIRCUMVENTING THE ENEMY.

"Whither away now, Mr Singleton?  Down channel, I suppose?" enquired
Milsom, when the yacht began to forge ahead.

"I think not," said Jack.  "In view of the fact that there is somebody
in that boat who appears to be willing to adopt very energetic measures
to get hold of Senor Montijo--or the yacht--it will perhaps be a wise
step for us to run a few miles up channel, instead of down, until we get
out of sight of any inquisitive eyes which may possibly be watching us:
so please shape a course up through the Straits for an hour or two--say
two hours; then we can seize a favourable opportunity to turn round and
run down channel, hugging the English shore fairly close.  But your
question reminds me that the time has arrived when we ought to decide
for what port we are to make, in order that you may work out your Great
Circle courses.  What think you, Don Hermoso?" he continued, in Spanish.
"Have you any definite idea as to the precise spot which it would be
best for us to make for?"

"Really, Senor, that is a detail that I have not yet seriously
considered," answered Don Hermoso.  "My idea was to get into
communication with the Junta as soon as we reach the other side, and
learn from them what spot would be the most suitable at which to make
the attempt to land our consignment.  What think you, Captain Milsom?"

"Where has this Junta of yours established itself?" asked Milsom, also
taking up the conversation in Spanish, of which he had a serviceable
knowledge.  "Would it be possible to get a cable message into their
hands from this side without the risk of it being intercepted by the
Spaniards?"

"Oh, yes; quite easily!" answered Don Hermoso.  "They have established
their headquarters in New York, and I could cable to them in cipher, if
necessary."

"Then," said Milsom, "if I may be permitted, I would suggest that, since
we are now running up channel, it would be a good plan for you to land
at Dover, and cable to the Junta the information that you have actually
started; that you have some reason to suspect that we have not
altogether escaped the suspicion of the Spanish authorities, and that
consequently the yacht may be watched for, and perhaps followed when we
arrive in Cuban waters; and that it would therefore be a very great
convenience if, when we get across, we could find a communication
awaiting us--say at Key West--giving us the latest information upon the
situation generally, and advice as to the most desirable spot at which
to attempt the landing of our cargo."

"A most excellent suggestion!" exclaimed Don Hermoso.  "Come, gentlemen,
let us enter the chart-house and draft the message at once, after which
I will transcribe it into cipher in readiness to dispatch it upon our
arrival at Dover."

With the exercise of considerable thought and ingenuity a concise
rendering of the points suggested by Milsom was at length drafted: and,
upon the arrival of the yacht off Dover, Don Hermoso and Singleton went
ashore in the steam pinnace and dispatched the message to New York;
after which the yacht's bows were turned southward again until she had
rounded Beachy Head, when Milsom set the course at west by south for the
Lizard, from which headland he intended to take his final "departure".
It was just nine o'clock in the evening when the _Thetis_ rounded Beachy
Head; and at noon next day she was abreast of the Lizard and two miles
distant from it.

"A splendid `departure'!" exclaimed Milsom enthusiastically, when he had
taken a careful bearing of the headland.  "I now know the ship's
position at noon to-day almost to a foot; and I was anxious to make a
really good departure, for I have worked out a very elaborate and
complete system of Great Circle courses from the Lizard to the north-
west end of the Little Bahama Bank, which is a spot that must be hit off
very accurately if one would avoid disaster.  Thence I shall run down
the Florida Strait to Key West, the course which I intend to steer being
the shortest possible distance to that spot.  And we must not run a mile
farther than is necessary, Jack, for Macintyre tells me that it will
take him all his time to make his coal last out."

As it happened, there was no cause for apprehension as to the coal
lasting out, for when the _Thetis_ was two days out from the Lizard she
fell in with a fresh easterly wind which enabled her to use her sails to
such great advantage that she saved a full day in the run across,
steaming in through the East Channel and dropping her anchor in four
fathoms of water within half a mile of the town of Key West a few
minutes before six o'clock in the evening of her eleventh day out from
the Lizard.  There were several American men-o'-war of various
descriptions, ranging from battleships to torpedo boats, lying at anchor
in the roadstead, as well as two cruisers, three gunboats, and a torpedo
boat flying the Spanish flag; and Singleton noticed, with mingled
concern and amusement, that, as the little _Thetis_ swept past the
Spanish vessels at close quarters, with the blue burgee and ensign of
the "Royal Thames" gaily fluttering from masthead and ensign staff, the
yacht was an object of the keenest interest to the officers who were
promenading the navigating bridges.  A boat from the custom-house, with
the health officer of the port in her, came off to the yacht almost as
soon as her anchor was down: but as the _Thetis_ had a clean bill of
health there was no difficulty about getting pratique, and the party
might have landed forthwith had they so pleased; they deemed it wise,
however, to exercise a certain measure of restraint, by abstaining from
landing until the next morning.  But although the port authorities were
perfectly polite, Singleton thought--or was it only a case of a guilty
conscience?--that the custom-house officer betrayed even more than
ordinary Yankee curiosity as to the reasons which had prompted Jack to
select West Indian waters as the spot in which to pursue his quest of
renewed health; and there seemed to be a very marked disposition on the
part of the man to indulge in hints and innuendoes suggesting that he
was perfectly aware of the existence of a certain something "under the
rose", until Singleton at length put a stop to it by asking him, point-
blank, what it was at which he was hinting.  And when he at length went
down the side to return to the shore, he left a subordinate on board the
yacht.  The Montijos were very wroth at this act of the customs
authorities, which they rather wished Jack to resent as an act of
discourtesy on the part of the American Government; but Milsom promptly
interposed, explaining matters, while Jack laughed heartily, declaring
that there was not the slightest need to worry, since they had nothing
in the shape of contraband or otherwise that they wished to land at Key
West.

The saloon party breakfasted at nine o'clock the next morning, and,
embarking in the steam pinnace about ten, went ashore, ostensibly to
enquire at the post office for letters, and to view the quaint little
town, but really to visit an agent of the Cuban Junta who was
established there; upon whom, however, Don Hermoso did not call until
nearly two o'clock in the afternoon, at which hour the streets were
practically deserted.  The first visit of the party was to the post
office, where, as he had expected, Don Hermoso found awaiting him a long
letter, written in cipher, from the Junta at New York, cordially
thanking him for his generous assistance, and informing him that
arrangements had been made for a trusty party to await the arrival of
the yacht in the Laguna de Cortes, at the south-west end of Cuba, where
everything was to be landed, and where also a pilot would be found
waiting to take the yacht into the lagoon.  The letter ended up by
giving a password which would be evidence of the _bona fides_ both of
the pilot and of the party who had been told off to receive the
contraband.

It soon became apparent to Jack that he and his party were attracting a
very considerable amount of attention from certain individuals, who
appeared to be following them about the town persistently, and
apparently with very little pretence at concealment.  It was therefore
arranged that when the moment arrived for the visit to be paid to the
agent of the Junta, Don Hermoso should pay it alone, Carlos and Jack
meanwhile doing their best to decoy the persistent spies in some other
direction.  But their efforts were of no avail, for it soon became clear
that a separate spy had been told off to watch each member of the party;
when they separated, therefore, Jack found that while one man remained
to watch him, a second followed Don Hermoso, and a third, with equal
tenacity, followed Carlos.  And finally, when, later on in the
afternoon, Jack set off to walk down to the wharf in order to go back
aboard the yacht, he suddenly found himself accosted by a swarthy,
unkempt individual, picturesquely attired in rags, yet whose manner was
somehow out of keeping with his appearance.

"_Pardon, Senor_" exclaimed the fellow in Spanish, with an air of
mystery, as he took off his sombrero with a flourish, "but have I the
supreme honour of addressing the noble Englishman who owns the beautiful
yacht that came in yesterday?"

"If you refer to the English yacht _Thetis_," said Jack, "yes, I am the
owner of her."

"_Mil gracias, Senor_, for your condescension," answered the man.
"Senor," he continued, "I have a very great favour to beg of you.  It
has been said that the Senor is about to visit Cuba.  Is this so?"

The mention of Cuba instantly put Jack on his guard: he at once
suspected that he was face to face with another Spanish spy, and felt
curious to know what the fellow was driving at.  Yet he was careful to
conceal the fact that his suspicions had been aroused; he therefore
answered, with an air of carelessness:

"Indeed!  That is curious, for I am not aware that I have thus far
mentioned my intentions to anyone ashore here.  And, as to visiting
Cuba--well, I am not at all certain that I shall do so; for, from what I
have gathered to-day, I am led to understand that the country is in a
very disturbed condition, and that it is scarcely safe for strangers to
go there at present.  But you have not yet mentioned the favour that you
wish to ask me.  Has it anything to do with my supposed intention to
visit Cuba?"

"Assuredly it has, Senor; most intimately," answered the other.
"Senor," and the speaker assumed a yet more furtive and mysterious
manner, "I am a Cuban--and a patriot; I am destitute, as my appearance
doubtless testifies, and I am most anxious to return to my country and
take up arms against the oppressor.  The English, enjoying liberty
themselves, are reputed to be in sympathy with us Cubans in our
endeavours to throw off the hated yoke of a foreign oppressor; and I
have ventured to hope that the Senor would be magnanimous enough to give
me a passage across to Havana in his beautiful yacht."

"I think," said Jack, with an air of hauteur, "that you have altogether
mistaken the character of my vessel.  She is not a passenger ship, but a
private yacht in which I am taking a cruise for the benefit of my
health; and it is not my custom to give passages to total strangers,
especially when by so doing I should run the risk of embroiling myself
with the Spanish authorities, with whom I have no quarrel.  No, Senor,
you must pardon my seeming churlishness in refusing so apparently
trivial a favour, but I decline to associate myself in any way with the
quarrel between your country and Spain.  I have the honour to bid you
good-day."

"Ah, pardon, Senor; just one moment!" persisted the man.  "The noble
Senor disclaims any intention to associate himself with the quarrel
between Cuba and Spain; yet two well-known Cuban patriots are guests on
board his yacht!"

"It would almost appear that my yacht and I are attracting a quite
unusual amount of attention here," laughed Jack.  "The gentlemen of whom
you speak are personal friends of mine--the younger of them, indeed,
went to the same school as myself, in England--which should be
sufficient to account for my intimacy with them.  But it does not follow
that, because they happen to be friends of mine, I am to give a free
passage to Cuba to anyone who chooses to ask me.  Were I to do so I
should probably have to carry across half the inhabitants of Key West!
No, Senor, I must beg to be excused."

And, bowing profoundly to his ragged interlocutor--for with the language
Jack always found himself falling into the stately mannerisms of the
Spaniard--the young man passed on, wondering whether he had indeed been
guilty of an ungracious act to a genuine Cuban patriot, or whether the
man whom he had just left was a Spanish spy.

He put the question to Don Hermoso that night over the dinner-table,
while relating to his companions the incident of the afternoon; but the
Don laughed heartily at Jack's qualms of conscience.

"Never trouble yourself for a moment on that score, my dear Jack," said
he.  "The man was without doubt a Spanish spy.  Had he been a genuine
Cuban patriot, as he represented himself to be, he would have known that
it would only have been necessary to present himself to the local agent
of the Junta, with the proofs of his identity, when he could easily have
obtained a passage across to Cuba.  But the incident is only one more
proof, if such were needed, that our party and the yacht have somehow
incurred the very gravest suspicion of the Spaniards, and that we are
being most jealously watched.  I fear that Carlos and I are chiefly
responsible for this; indeed, the agent here did not scruple to say that
we--Carlos and I--committed a very great tactical blunder in coming out
here in the yacht.  He asserts that we ought to have come out in the
ordinary way by mail steamer, and that in such a case little or no
suspicion would have attached to the yacht; but that certain news
transmitted from Europe, coupled with the fact of our presence on board,
has convinced the authorities that the yacht is in these waters for the
purpose of running a cargo of contraband into the island.  Of course we
have our spies, as the Spaniards have theirs, and one of our most trusty
investigators reported to-day, while I was with the agent, that it is
undoubtedly the intention of the Spanish authorities that their torpedo
boat shall accompany the _Thetis_, so long as she remains in Cuban
waters."

"Phew! that sounds awkward," remarked Milsom.  "Does anybody know what
her speed is?"

Nobody did, it appeared; whereupon Milsom undertook to ascertain whether
the custom-house officer possessed the knowledge, and, if so, to extract
it from him.  Accordingly, when, a little later, the saloon party
adjourned to the deck for the enjoyment of their post-prandial cigars,
the skipper sauntered away forward and up on the top of the deck-house,
where Perkins and the officer were sitting yarning together, and joined
them.  He sat chatting with them for nearly an hour, and then, upon the
pretext that he had forgotten to speak to Mr Singleton about the
arrangements for coaling the ship, rose and joined the trio who were
sitting aft near the stern grating.

"Well," said Jack, "have you been able to learn anything, Phil?"

"Yes," answered Milsom; "and what I have learned is not very comforting.
That torpedo boat, it appears, is practically a new craft, and she has
a sea speed of twenty-five knots, which is one knot better than our
best; so how we are going to dodge her is more than I at present know.
The three gunboats we need not trouble about, for the two-masted craft
are only capable of sixteen knots, while the three-masted boat--the
_Destructor_--can do about seventeen, at a pinch, though she is said to
have been at one time capable of twenty-two and a half.  Neither need we
trouble about the cruisers, for the faster of them--the _Lepanto_--is
only capable of twenty and a half knots when she is clean, and I am told
that at present she is dreadfully foul."

"Still, it appears to me that the torpedo boat is, apart from the rest,
more than we shall be able to manage," remarked Don Hermoso.  "If she
persists in dogging our heels we shall not have a ghost of a chance of
landing our cargo anywhere."

"No," said Jack.  "But she will not dog our heels, Don Hermoso; don't
you trouble.  This is where my submarine comes in, and is going to
score, if I am not mistaken.  Macintyre and I will be able to doctor
that torpedo boat so that she will not trouble us.  We will just go down
in the submarine and remove the nut that secures her propeller to its
shaft, and when she begins to move, her propeller will drop off; and
before it can be replaced we will have our cargo ashore, and be in a
position to laugh at her."

"But how will you manage that, Jack, in the presence of all these
ships?" demanded Milsom.  "You could not possibly do what you suggest
without being seen.  Besides, there is the custom-house officer to be
reckoned with; and I really do not believe that the man is to be trusted
with your secret."

"We shall have to do the job at night-time--the night before we leave
here for Cuba," said Jack.  "And, as to the custom-house officer, we
must trust that he will sleep too soundly to hear anything."

"Leave him to me," said Don Hermoso.  "I am a bit of a chemist, in my
way, and I will concoct a liquid a few drops of which in his grog the
last thing at night will cause him to sleep soundly all night, and awake
none the worse in the morning."

"That will get us over one difficulty," said Jack, "and I have just
thought of a plan that will get us over another--that of getting the
submarine into the water unobserved.  It strikes me that we can do all
that is necessary without using the submarine at all.  That torpedo boat
is, as you may observe, lying quite close to the shore, so close,
indeed, that there cannot be much more than two feet of water under her
keel.  Consequently Macintyre and I have only to don our special diving
dresses--which, as I think I have explained to you, need no air-pipe or
anything of that sort--go down over the side of the yacht, and make our
way to our prey under water.  With a little management we could even do
the trick in broad daylight, and nobody be any the wiser!"

"Excellent!" exclaimed Milsom enthusiastically.  "We will have the
lighters alongside to coal us to-morrow; and before they come along we
will hang tarpaulins all round the ship to keep the paint clean.  Then,
while everybody is busy coaling, you and Macintyre can watch your
opportunity and slip over the side through the ash port.  Gad! won't
those fellows be wrathy when their propeller parts company!  They will
no doubt suspect us, but they cannot possibly prove anything."

On the following morning, immediately after breakfast, Milsom went
ashore and made arrangements for the immediate coaling of the yacht; and
while he was absent, Jack and Macintyre, the chief engineer, got out the
diving dresses and thoroughly overhauled them, charged the air cylinders
with densely-compressed air, and collected such tools as they expected
to require for their job.  By the time that this had been done, Milsom
was back aboard the yacht, having made all his arrangements, including
one which was of considerable assistance to Jack and Macintyre.  This
consisted of an arrangement to take the yacht directly alongside the
coal hulk, instead of coaling from lighters, and the advantage to the
conspirators arose from the fact that the particular hulk from which the
_Thetis_ was to coal lay within a short hundred yards of the spot where
the Spanish torpedo boat rode at anchor.  Then a number of tarpaulins
were got up on deck and hung over the ship's sides, fore and aft,
covering the hull from the bulwark rail right down to the surface of the
water, to protect the white paint from defilement by flying coal dust;
and, this having been done, the yacht was taken alongside the coal hulk,
and the process of coaling the vessel at once began under the joint
supervision of Milsom and the second engineer, the skipper being
especially particular in the arranging of the fenders between the hulls
of the two craft.  So fastidiously careful was he, indeed, in this
matter, that he finally caused two booms to be rigged out, one forward
and one aft, to bear the yacht off from the side of the hulk, with the
result that there was a clear space of fully two feet between the sides
of the two craft.  And, to facilitate as much as possible the process of
coaling, Milsom caused a broad gangway, nearly six feet wide, to be
rigged between the two vessels, so that the porters might pass to and
fro freely without obstructing each other.  And, singularly enough, this
gangway happened to be rigged exactly over the ash port, which was thus
quite effectually concealed from the view of even the most prying eyes.
And there undoubtedly were several pairs of eyes very curiously and
intently watching everything that was happening aboard the English
yacht, not the least intent among them being those of the custom-house
officer, who planted himself upon the bridge of the _Thetis_, fully
determined that nothing great or small should be passed from the yacht
to the coal hulk without his full knowledge and consent.  Thus, thanks
to the exceeding care with which Milsom had made his dispositions,
Jack--who, with the two Montijos, was supposed to be down below--and
Macintyre, fully equipped in their diving dresses, and with their tools
slung to their belts, had not the slightest difficulty in leaving the
yacht unobserved, and descending to the bottom of the harbour by way of
a diving ladder.

The water being shallow and tolerably clear, and the sun high enough in
the heavens to throw a strong light down into it, the two adventurers
were able to see well enough to be able to pass from the yacht to the
torpedo boat without any other guide than that of their unaided
eyesight; and within ten minutes the pair found themselves beneath the
bottom of their quarry, the keel of which was, as Jack had anticipated,
within about three feet of the ground.  The boat, they found, was driven
by a single propeller protected by a skeleton frame forming the boat's
keel and sternpost, and to climb into this frame occupied Macintyre less
than a minute, helped as he was by Jack.  Macintyre's first act was to
subject the propeller nut to a very careful examination, after which he
fixed a big spanner in position and threw his whole weight upon it,
assisted by Jack, who was pulling at a rope attached to the extreme end
of the spanner handle.  The nut, however, was rusted on so effectually
as to be immovable, so Macintyre climbed down and, by means of a slate
and a piece of chalk, consulted Jack as to what was best to be done to
overcome the difficulty.  Looking up, and studying the structure of the
boat's stern intently, Jack saw that by steadying themselves by the
rudder chains they could both climb up and stand upon the arm of the
spanner, when, by bracing their shoulders against the boat's overhanging
stern, they could bring the whole of their united strength to bear, and
thus possibly start the nut.  By means of a diagram and a few words
chalked upon the slate Macintyre was soon made to comprehend what Jack
meant, and then they both climbed up and, with considerable difficulty,
arranged themselves in the required position.  Then, bracing their
shoulders against the vessel's hull, the two men thrust with all their
might, with the result that the nut suddenly started, and the spanner
fell off, dropping to the bottom of the harbour and leaving the two
operators hanging by the rudder chains.  The drop from thence to the
sand, however, was not above six feet--a mere trifle in water--so they
let go, recovered the spanner, and got to work again.  Once started, the
nut gave them very little further difficulty, and ten minutes later it
was off and safely buried out of sight in the sand.  The propeller,
however, still remained on the shaft, and might quite possibly continue
to remain there for a time, even should the boat get under way; but the
moment that she stopped her engines after once getting under way, or if
she should happen to attempt to go astern, the propeller would at once
slip off and be lost.  Three-quarters of an hour from the moment of
leaving the yacht, Jack and Macintyre were safely on board her again,
with their task accomplished, much to the satisfaction of the party.

It was well on toward lunch-time ere the yacht's bunkers were full and
she was able to haul off from the coal hulk, and the greater part of the
afternoon was occupied by the crew in washing down the decks and paint
work, cleaning up generally, polishing brasswork, and restoring the
little vessel to her normal state of immaculate neatness; during which
Jack and the two Montijos took a final run ashore, for it had been
decided that, failing the occurrence of anything to cause an alteration
of their plans, they would leave for Cuba on the following day.

No attempt was made to preserve secrecy as to the yacht's movements;
nor, on the other hand, were the preparations for her departure
ostentatiously displayed.  Soon after eight o'clock in the morning a
thin film of smoke was seen to issue from the vessel's funnel, gradually
increasing in density, and it became quite apparent to all who chose to
interest themselves in the matter that the _Thetis_ was getting up steam
in readiness to take her departure.  And that she intended to leave
almost immediately was further indicated by the arrival alongside her of
a boat containing fresh water, and other boats containing fresh meat,
vegetables, fruit, and supplies generally.  But there were no signs of
hurry on board the vessel: everything was done openly and leisurely, as
is the way of people who are taking their pleasure; and it was not until
nearly five o'clock in the afternoon that the boats were hoisted to the
davits, and a thin jet of steam spouting from the bows of the vessel
proclaimed that her crew were getting her anchor.  And when at length
Perkins, the chief mate, standing in the bows of the vessel,
vociferously announced that the anchor was aweigh, there was no sign of
haste or anxiety in the slow, leisurely movement of the yacht as she
swept round in a wide circle from the spot where she had lain at anchor,
and headed seaward by way of the West Channel, dipping her ensign to the
men-o'-war in the roadstead as she went, while her crew catted and
fished the anchor on its appearance above the surface.  Then, and not
until then, did the _Thetis_ quicken, until she was running at a speed
of about fourteen knots.

The yacht had been under way about half an hour when Jack, who with the
two Montijos and Milsom was on the top of the deck-house, diligently
watching the roadstead which they had just left, exclaimed: "Here she
comes!" and the Spanish torpedo boat was seen coming along astern, with
a dense cloud of black smoke pouring from her funnels, and the water
playing like a fountain about her sharp stem as she swept after the
_Thetis_ at full speed.  Milsom looked at her long and earnestly through
his binoculars; then he turned to Jack and, with a frown wrinkling his
brow, said:

"By the look of that boat, and the pace at which she is coming through
the water, it appears to me, young man, that something has gone very
seriously wrong with the little job that you undertook to do yesterday.
Are you quite sure that you removed the nut?"

"Absolutely certain," answered Jack cheerfully.

"Then how do you account for the fact that she has not yet dropped her
propeller?" demanded Milsom.

"Easily enough," answered Jack.  "She got under way, like ourselves, by
steaming ahead and sweeping round in a wide circle.  So long as her
engines continue to turn ahead, her propeller will probably retain its
position on the shaft, kept there by the pressure of the water on its
blades; but the moment that she eases down, it will probably drop off,
or, if not then, it certainly will at the instant when her engines are
stopped.  Don't be alarmed, Phil; you have only to cause her to stop her
engines, and you will see what will happen."

"Then," said Milsom, as he laid his hand upon the bridge telegraph and
signalled "Full speed ahead", "we will entice her a bit farther out to
sea before we do anything more.  If she runs out of sight of the
anchorage before breaking down we shall get a nice little start, and
shall probably not be interfered with for the rest of the trip.  Ah,
there is the edge of the bank ahead of us!" as a line of demarcation
between the pale, greenish-blue water over the reef and the deep-blue
water beyond it became visible.  "Let her go off to due south," to the
quartermaster at the wheel; "we'll try to persuade them that we are
bound for Havana!"

"A stern chase is a long chase", especially when one craft has five or
six miles start of the other, and the pursuing craft has only a single
knot's--or perhaps not quite so much as that--advantage in speed; it was
consequently not until the brief dusk was deepening into darkness, and
the great mellow stars were leaping into view in the rapidly deepening
azure of the sky, that, the _Thetis_ being by that time about midway
between Key West and Havana, Milsom rang down to the engine-room for
half speed, and allowed the torpedo boat to range up abreast of the
yacht.  This she did at a distance of about a quarter of a mile, without
making any attempt to speak to or interfere with the English vessel,
merely slowing down to regulate her pace to that of the yacht.  Then
Milsom spoke down through the voice tube, ordering the engines to be
first stopped, and then to go slowly, but at a gradually increasing
speed, astern, by which means he quite expected to induce the commander
of the torpedo boat to stop.  The result was everything that could have
been desired, for as soon as the Spaniard realised that he was running
ahead of the yacht in the most unaccountable way, he stopped his engines
and waited patiently for the other vessel to overtake him, his propeller
doubtless slipping off the tail-shaft and going to the bottom at the
instant of the stopping of the engines.  But while the torpedo boat,
deprived of the drag of her propeller, continued to forge strongly ahead
under the impetus of her own momentum, the _Thetis_ was even more
rapidly widening the distance between herself and the torpedo boat by
going full speed astern, until, when the two craft were separated by
some three miles of heaving water, the perplexed and astounded Spanish
lieutenant, still ignorant of what had happened, made up his mind to go
back to see what the English ship was about, and, ordering his helm to
be put hard over, rang down to his engine-room for "full speed ahead".
Then the furious racing of his engines, as steam was admitted into the
cylinders, revealed the ghastly truth that he had lost his propeller and
was absolutely helpless, with the nearest land fully forty miles away.
He rushed from the bridge down into the tiny engine-room, to consult
with and explosively reprimand the engineers for permitting such a
mishap to occur; and at length, when his vexation had worked itself off,
returned to the deck and gave orders for signals of distress to be made,
by means of rockets, to the English yacht.  But by that time the
_Thetis_ had vanished in the darkness; nor did she re-appear, although
the unfortunate lieutenant expended his entire stock of rockets in a
vain attempt to attract her attention.



CHAPTER FIVE.

HIS SPANISH MAJESTY'S GUNBOAT TIBURON.

Meanwhile the saloon party on board the _Thetis_, having comfortably
bestowed themselves in capacious basket chairs under the awning on the
top of the deck-house when the yacht got under way, watched with mingled
interest and amusement the strenuous pursuit of their own vessel by the
Spanish torpedo boat; and when at length Milsom gave the order for the
yacht's engines to be first stopped and then sent astern, they with one
accord rose to their feet and brought their glasses to bear upon the
torpedo boat, intent upon seeing what would next happen.  For although
darkness had by this time fallen, the night was beautifully fine and
clear, and the mellow lustre of the innumerable stars shed a soft light
upon the scene that enabled the watchers, with the aid of their powerful
night glasses, to perceive with very tolerable distinctness whatever
might happen within so short a distance as a quarter of a mile, or even
twice as far.  Presently Jack spoke.

"She has stopped, I think," he said; "at all events I can no longer
distinguish the phosphorescent wake made by her propeller; and if that
is the case we shall have no more trouble from her.  Of course it would
have been easy enough for us to have made this pursuit impossible, by
removing her propeller when we were working at it yesterday; but the
thought occurred to me that, had we done so, the removal might have been
discovered, and in that case it is quite possible that suspicion, even
though of a very vague and doubtful character, might have fastened upon
us, with the result that at some future time, when it may be vitally
important for us to repeat the trick, such precautions might be taken as
would render its repetition impossible.  As it is, the craft has been
under steam for a couple of hours, during which, to all appearance,
nothing was wrong with her.  I do not think, therefore, that anyone is
in the least likely to connect us with the mishap."

"No," agreed Milsom, "the thing was most excellently done, Jack, it
could not possibly have been better managed; and the mishap will wear
the aspect of an ordinary accident of the sea.  You have a longer head
upon you than I can boast, my lad; I should never have thought as far
ahead as you did.  But I think we are far enough away from that boat now
to allow of our resuming our voyage."  And he signalled to the engine-
room, first to "Stop", and then to go "Full speed ahead."

"Port your helm, Quartermaster," he said to the helmsman, "until she
heads due north, and then give her a very small touch of starboard
helm--just enough to enable us to make a wide circle round that torpedo
boat out yonder--until her head works round to south-west by west, when
you can steady her at that.  That course," he explained to his
companions, "ought to run us within sight of the light on Jutias about
three bells in the middle watch."

"And when do you suppose we shall reach our destination, Captain?" asked
Don Hermoso.

"The Laguna de Cortes?  Oh! about breakfast-time to-morrow morning, if
we keep the boat running at full speed, and do not meet with any
interruption on the way," answered Milsom.

"Hillo!" exclaimed Jack; "see that rocket, Phil?  It looks as though it
might have been sent up by the torpedo boat.  She will be somewhere out
in that direction, won't she?"

"Ay, there or thereabout," answered Milsom, glancing into the compass
bowl to get the bearing of the rocket.  "That means that they've just
discovered the loss of their propeller, and are in trouble about it."

"I hope that the crew of the boat are in no danger," exclaimed Don
Hermoso anxiously.  "I have no wish that they should come to harm--"

"No need to worry yourself about that, Senor," answered Milsom.  "The
weather is fine, and the boat, no doubt, sound enough.  The worst that
is likely to happen to them is that they will have to stay where they
are until something comes along and tows them into Havana."

At this moment the dinner gong sounded, and the little party retired
below.

When Jack went up on deck next morning, as the ship's bell was striking
eight, he saw that the yacht was running along, with her head to the
eastward, within about half a mile of some low land, dotted with trees,
which stretched ahead and astern of her for several miles on their port
hand, terminating at each extremity in a low headland.  Inland, at a
distance of about twenty-five miles, rose a long range of hills, or low
mountains, which appeared to rise to a height of something between two
thousand and three thousand feet.

"Good-morning, Jack!" cheerily exclaimed the skipper, as Singleton ran
up the ladder on to the top of the deck-house.  "Glorious morning, isn't
it?  But it is going to be roasting hot a little later on; the sun has a
sting already, in spite of this piping easterly breeze."

"Yes," agreed Jack.  "And if it is hot here, what must it be ashore?
But where are we now, Skipper?"

"Pretty close to our destination, I'm thankful to say," answered Milsom.
"That point astern is Cape Corrientes, the point ahead is Mangle Point,
four miles beyond which is Cape Frances, where we shall run in upon the
Bank, or shoal, which extends eastward for something like one hundred
and sixty miles to the end of the Jardinillos.  Those hills, inland
there, are called the Organ Mountains; though, to my mind, the name is
much too grandiloquent for such insignificant elevations.  I hope that
pilot chap who is to take us into the lagoon will be keeping a bright
lookout for us; I have just been having a squint at the chart, and I
tell you, Jack, that I don't half like the idea of taking this little
beauty in over that precious Bank, where it would be the easiest thing
in the world to rip the bottom out of her on some unsuspected upstanding
coral snag.  I mean to go dead slow all the while that we are on that
Bank, I can tell you, although I happen to know the greater part of it
as well as I know my own back garden.  And it is perhaps because I know
it so well that I like it so little.  Ah!"--as the yacht swung round the
point which she had been approaching, and opened out for another about
four miles farther on--"there is Cape Frances; and there is the Bank
showing up plainly enough.  That is it, where the colour of the water
changes from dark blue to almost white.  And now it is time for us to
hoist the signal by which the pilot is to identify us.  Mr Perkins,
have the goodness to bend on Y and run it up to the fore truck, if you
please."

A minute later, Don Hermoso and Carlos made their appearance on the top
of the deck-house, just as Y--a rectangular flag composed of red and
yellow diagonal stripes--went soaring up to the fore-mast-head.

"Good-morning, Jack! good-morning, Captain!" said Don Hermoso.  "Is that
red-and-yellow flag the prearranged signal agreed upon for our
identification by the pilot and the people on shore?"

"It is, Senor," answered Milsom.  "There is Cape Frances, on our port
bow--no doubt you recognise it--and if your pilot is keeping a proper
lookout, he ought to spot us immediately upon our rounding that point."

"And no doubt he will, Captain," returned Don Hermoso.  "So that is Cape
Frances?  No, I do not recognise it, Senor, for I have never before
passed it at sea.  And those are the Sierras de los Organos yonder, and
the Sierras del Rosario farther on to the right.  I recognise them, of
course.  And--yes, surely--just to the right of that isolated peak I can
see what must certainly be the town of Pinar del Rio!  We are not far
from home now, Carlos, and if all goes well with us to-day we ought to-
night to sleep in our own casa, and see dear little Isolda once more.
The child will rejoice to have us with her again."

"Yes," said Carlos, "and I shall not only rejoice to see her again, but
to know that you are once more on the spot to look after her.  In her
last letter to me, received at Key West, she mentioned that Don
Sebastian Alvaros has been a most persistent visitor to the house ever
since we left Cuba, and I have my doubts of that man.  I did not mention
the matter to you when I received the letter, as I did not wish to make
you feel uneasy; but now that we may hope to be at home to-night I think
it only right that you should know."

"Ah!" remarked Don Hermoso; "I will see that Don Sebastian's visits are
discouraged henceforth.  It is true that I know nothing against him--
indeed, he is spoken of as a very promising officer--still, like
yourself, Carlos, I do not altogether trust him; he is not precisely a
desirable acquaintance, and I will endeavour to make him understand that
he is not wanted at the hacienda."

At this moment the _Thetis_ passed Cape Frances and opened out into the
Bay of Cortes.

"There is our destination, gentlemen," said Milsom, pointing to a
projecting bluff some eight or nine miles up the coast.  "That bluff is
Piedras Point; and beyond it is the Laguna de Cortes--or the Pirates'
Lagoon as some people call it.  And here we are at the edge of the Bank;
from this point onward I intend to proceed very cautiously indeed."

So saying, he laid his hand upon the handle of the engine-room telegraph
and rang down for "Half speed", calling down the voice tube a moment
later for the engines to be run dead slow.  And as the yacht slowed up
she passed from the dark blue of the deep water to the pale, whitish
blue of the shallow water that covers the immense coral reef known
locally as The Bank.

"Mr Perkins," shouted Milsom, "I must have a man as lookout at the
foremast-head, if you please.  You had better bend a boatswain's chair
on to the gaff-topsail halyards, and send him up in that, as I shall
require him to stay there until we are safely at anchor.  And when you
have done that, rouse your cable on deck, and see everything ready for
letting go.  Jack, I can spare eyes for nothing but the ship just now,
so oblige me, will you, by taking the glasses, and say whether you can
see anything in the shape of a boat coming toward us with a flag flying.
And, between whiles, you may just look carefully along the coast to see
if you can spot a guarda-costa hovering about.  We don't want to be
caught napping in the act of landing this stuff."

Jack took the glasses out of their case and swept the whole of the
visible coast, but for some time without result; there was nothing under
either sail or steam to be seen in any direction.  At length, however,
when the yacht had arrived within about two miles of Piedras Point, a
small pirogue under sail suddenly shot out from behind the point,
heading to the southward close-hauled; she carried a sprit-mainsail and
a jib, and at the top end of the sprit there fluttered a diminutive
replica of the red-and-yellow flag which was flying from the fore truck
of the yacht.

"Ah!" exclaimed Jack, as he brought his glasses to bear upon the boat;
"here comes your pilot, Phil, at last, and he is flying the `all right'
signal, so I suppose we may take it for granted that the coast is
clear."

"Yes, I see him," answered Milsom.  "Keep her away a couple of points,
Quartermaster, and give that boat a chance to fetch us.  She is coming
alongside.  Masthead there.  Keep a very bright lookout, my man, for
sunken rocks; there are plenty of them to be found here if they are
looked for."

"Ay, ay, sir!" answered the man.  "We have passed a few already; but I
didn't say anything, because we weren't headin' so as to hit 'em."

Ten minutes later the pirogue was close at hand, and Milsom rang down
the signal to "Stop".  The pirogue was a very quaint-looking craft, of
about twenty feet in length by some five feet beam, formed out of a
solid log of wood which had been roughly trimmed with an axe to form the
bottom portion of her, with a couple of planks above to form her top
sides.  Although the trade wind was blowing quite fresh, this queer-
looking craft carried no ballast, properly so-called; but to prevent her
from capsizing a couple of negroes stood on her weather gunwale, holding
on to ropes attached to her masthead, and leaning back almost
horizontally out over the water.  A third negro, attired in a
picturesquely dirty shirt, and trousers rolled up above his knees, and
with a most shockingly dilapidated straw hat on his head, steered the
little craft by means of a broad-bladed paddle laid out over the lee
quarter.  Primitive, however, as the craft was in appearance, she came
through the water at a most astonishing rate, and presently shot up
alongside under the lee of the yacht, the two negroes who acted as
ballast smartly recovering themselves and springing inboard as she did
so.  A rope's end was thrown down into her, and the picturesque
individual who had been steering her nimbly climbed up the side of the
yacht and stepped on deck, where he was met by Don Hermoso.

"Buenos dias, Senor!" exclaimed the fellow, doffing his ragged head-
covering with the flourish and grace of a grandee.  "Cuba is ready!"
(This was the password that was to prove the _bona fides_ of the man.)

"And we also are ready," answered Don Hermoso.  "Is the coast clear?"

"Quite clear, Senor," answered the man, who, by the way, was a turtle
fisher, inhabiting a hut on one of the small cays that stretched across
the entrance of the lagoon which the yacht was approaching.  "A gunboat
has been cruising about the bay of late, but she steamed away yesterday
morning, after communicating with the shore, and we have seen nothing of
her since."

"Then we had better proceed forthwith, and get our work over whilst the
opportunity is favourable," remarked Don Hermoso.  "What is your name,
by the by?"

"Pedro, Senor--Pedro Velasquez," answered the man.

"Good!" said Don Hermoso.  "Follow me up to the bridge, Pedro.

"This is our pilot, Captain," he continued, introducing the negro to
Milsom, who looked at him quizzically and responded to his bow by
somewhat curtly bidding him "Good-morning!"

"He says that the coast is clear, so we may as well proceed forthwith.
How do we steer, Pedro?"

"Keep an offing of a mile, to allow of room for turning, and to get a
straight run in.  For the present we may head for that white building on
the hillside yonder," answered Pedro.

This being clear to Milsom, the latter touched the telegraph, and the
yacht proceeded, with the pirogue astern in tow.  Presently three small
cays detached themselves from the mainland, revealing a fine spacious
expanse of land-locked water behind them; and when, a little later, the
_Thetis_ had brought the largest cay fair abeam, the pilot waved his
hand, the helm was put hard a-starboard, and the vessel's bows were
pointed straight for the channel between the northernmost cay and the
mainland.

"We must enter the channel very slowly, Senor," cautioned Pedro, "for
the navigation of it is rather awkward, and I doubt whether a vessel of
this size has ever before been taken into the lagoon."

With her engines going dead slow, and occasionally stopping altogether
to deaden her way, the yacht crept cautiously along until, having passed
the critical danger-spot, she slid into the lagoon, which was now seen
to be a sheet of water some four miles long by about two miles broad,
trending due north and south, with a creek in its north-west corner,
toward which the bows of the vessel were turned, the speed being
quickened up to about eight knots.  Ten minutes later the pilot gave the
word to be ready to anchor; the engines were stopped and then sent
astern, and a minute afterwards, the yacht having been brought to a
standstill, the anchor was let go, and the voyagers found themselves
riding in a fine, snug harbour, absolutely safe in all weathers, and
perfectly screened from the view of anything and everything that might
chance to pass outside.

No sooner was the anchor down than the creek abreast which the yacht was
moored began to swarm with boats of all shapes and sizes, which came
hurrying out to receive and transfer to the shore the cases of arms,
ammunition, dynamite, lead, and supplies of all kinds which lay snugly
stowed away beneath the floors of the ship's saloons; while the entire
strength of the yacht's crew was employed upon the task of breaking out
the packages and conveying them on deck.  The boats' crews were all
coloured men, and mostly negroes; but in the leading boat there came a
mulatto bearing a letter from Rabi, the then leader of the insurgents,
to Don Hermoso, authorising the bearer, one Jose Seguin, to receive the
contraband, which was now passed down into the boats with all possible
speed, as a rumour had reached the place that a strong body of Spanish
troops was in the neighbourhood, and might make its appearance at any
moment.  It did not turn up, however, and by two o'clock in the
afternoon every scrap of incriminating material was out of the yacht and
on its way to the headquarters of the insurgents, somewhere up in the
Organ Mountains.  Every scrap, that is to say, except the four 12-pound
quick-firers and the two Maxims, with their store of ammunition, which
constituted the armament of the yacht.  These weapons had not thus far
been mounted, it having been deemed inadvisable to make so unusual a
display as that of an armed yacht in the harbour of Key West, lest undue
attention should be attracted to the vessel, and inconvenient questions
asked.  But now, by Milsom's advice, they got the weapons up and mounted
them, so that, in the event of the vessel being searched by the Spanish
authorities, there should be nothing in the nature of concealed weapons
on board to afford an excuse for the making of trouble.  Thus, by the
end of the afternoon watch the yacht was again spruce and clean as a new
pin, and made a very brave show with her brand-new, silver-bright guns
grinning threateningly out over the rail, and the two Maxims all ready
for action on the top of the deck-house.  Her appearance said, as
plainly as words: "Touch me who dares!" yet her armament was not
boisterously aggressive, considering that her presumptive owner had set
out from England with no very settled programme, but the possibility
that ere he returned he might be moved to visit spots where, despite the
rapid spread of civilisation, might is still right.

The hurry and confusion incidental to the landing of the yacht's cargo
of contraband had been so great that any such orderly meal as the usual
luncheon had been out of the question, and everybody had eaten and drunk
as they worked, snatching a mouthful or a gulp when they could; the
little saloon party were consequently now gathered on the top of the
deck-house, getting an early afternoon tea, while the anchor was being
hove up by means of the steam windlass, prior to the vessel proceeding
to sea again.  Don Hermoso had been congratulating himself and everybody
else upon the ease and complete success with which the yacht's primary
mission had been accomplished, and had also expressed himself very
nicely as to the magnitude of his obligation to Jack and Milsom for the
invaluable assistance which they had rendered, without which, the Don
declared, the adventure could never have been brought to a successful
issue.  "And now, my dear Jack," he continued, "I have two further
favours to ask you.  The first is that you will have the goodness to
land Carlos and myself as soon as may be at Calonna--which is about
twenty-two miles to the eastward of this--in order that we may take the
train thence to Pinar del Rio, in time, perhaps, to reach home to-night;
and the second is, that you will favour us with your company for as long
a time as you may be disposed to stay.  Then, having landed us, Captain
Milsom can take the yacht round to Havana, when, if the island proves to
be sufficiently quiet to allow of the vessel being left in Perkins's
charge, we shall feel happy if he also"--with a bow to Milsom--"will
honour our poor house with his presence for a time, until, indeed, the
yacht is again required for service."

Jack accepted the invitation promptly and unhesitatingly: Carlos and he
were old chums, and indeed almost like brothers; while as for Don
Hermoso, Jack had seen enough of him during the voyage out to have
contracted for him a feeling of the highest regard and esteem.  He knew
that the invitation was as earnest and cordial as words could make it;
and the conversations that had been engaged in from time to time on
board the yacht had caused him to become profoundly interested in Cuba,
and filled him with an intense desire to see the island, and, if
possible, be an eye-witness of its struggle for liberty.  Milsom, on the
other hand, while perhaps as keen as Jack to see all that there was to
be seen, was, above and before all things else, a sailor; his acceptance
of Don Hermoso's invitation, therefore, was qualified by sundry
conditions, every one of which had reference to the question of the
safety of the yacht.

By the time that the conversation had reached this point the anchor was
a-trip, and Milsom went to the engine-room telegraph, while the
quartermaster climbed up to the bridge and stationed himself at the
wheel.  Velasquez was no longer on board, Milsom having informed him
that he could now dispense with his services--for it was one of
Lieutenant Philip Milsom's characteristics that when he had once
witnessed the navigation of any particular passage he could at any time
thereafter perform the same feat of navigation himself; he therefore now
took sole charge of the yacht and skilfully navigated her out of the
lagoon and into the open sea, setting the course for Calonna, after
which he again calmly seated himself at the table and asked for another
cup of tea.

The yacht, running at about eleven knots, had accomplished a little more
than half the distance between the lagoon and Calonna when smoke was
seen ahead, and a few minutes later a steamer was made out coming toward
them.  There was nothing alarming in this, of course, for small coasting
steamers are constantly plying between the various ports along the coast
of Cuba: but it was not long ere it became apparent, from the rig of the
approaching craft--which was that of a three-masted schooner--that she
was a Government vessel, probably a gunboat; and Milsom made no secret
of his relief at the fact that everything of a compromising nature had
been safely got out of the _Thetis_.  Any doubt that might have existed
as to the character of the stranger was soon dispelled; for when she
arrived within about a mile of the _Thetis_ she hoisted the Spanish
naval ensign at her mizen peak and, slowing down, rounded-to athwart the
yacht's course, at the same time hoisting the international signal,
"Heave-to; I am sending a boat!"

"What is the proper thing to do, Phil?" demanded Jack, when Milsom read
out the interpretation of the signal.  "He has no right to stop us, has
he?"

"Certainly not," answered Milsom.  "If he suspects us of an intention to
smuggle he may follow and watch us, of course; but to stop us in this
high-handed fashion is coming it rather too strong.  He knows that we
are an English yacht, for there are our ensign and burgee to bear
witness to the fact.  Nevertheless, since we have happily got rid of
everything of a compromising nature, we may as well heave-to and allow
him to board us, when you, Jack, in your character as owner, may make as
much fuss as you please--the more the better--and threaten to report
him, also to complain to your Government of the insult and outrage to
which he has subjected you.  In short, `bluff' him for all that you're
worth."

"All right!" said Jack, "I will.  When--"

His further remarks were cut short by the flash of a gun and a jet of
smoke spouting from the bows of the gunboat; and the next instant a
twenty-four-pound round shot came ricochetting toward the yacht, missing
her by only about a dozen yards!

"Confound the fellow's impudence!" exclaimed Milsom, as he dashed at the
bridge telegraph and signalled to stop the engines.  "It would rightly
serve him if we were to return his fire.  But perhaps the wisest plan
and the most dignified will be to stop and let him come aboard.  But
give it him hot for firing upon the British flag.  Make him sit up!  I
only wish that I could jabber Spanish as fluently as you do; I'd scare
him out of his skin!"

As the yacht, with the way that she had on her, gradually drifted down
toward the gunboat, it was seen that the latter was preparing to lower a
boat; and presently a gig, manned by six oarsmen and a coxswain, was
hauled up to her gangway, down the ladder of which an officer in
lieutenant's uniform presently descended, stepping into the boat, which
then pushed off and headed toward the _Thetis_.  Meanwhile, Milsom
having said a few hasty words to Perkins, the yacht's gangway had been
thrown open and her accommodation ladder lowered, and when presently the
Spanish boat dashed alongside and hooked on, Jack and Milsom were
standing just inside the gangway, waiting to receive the officer.  He
was a rather good-looking man, somewhere about thirty years of age, and
as he sprang up the ladder and in on deck he touched the peak of his
uniform cap by way of salute: and Milsom saw his eyebrows go up as his
eyes fell upon the two quick-firers that graced the yacht's after deck.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen!" he said, in almost perfect English; "what
ship is this?"

"Leave him to me, Jack," whispered Milsom, upon discovering the welcome
fact that he could make himself understood; and without waiting for
Jack's consent he stepped forward and answered:

"This is the English yacht _Thetis_, of the Royal Thames Yacht Club, as
you may see by looking at that ensign.  And what ship is that, sir; and
what does the captain of her mean by firing upon us?"

"That ship, Senor, is His Spanish Majesty's gunboat _Tiburon_, sent out
especially to look for your vessel," answered the officer.  "My
Government has received positive intelligence from a reliable source
that you have on board a large consignment of arms and ammunition
destined for the use of the Cuban insurgents; and our instructions are
to seize your vessel and take her into Havana.  We fired upon you
because you were somewhat slow in obeying our summons to stop."

"Oh!" said Milsom, "so that is how matters stand, is it?  And do you
suppose, sir, that Great Britain will allow her flag to be fired on
without having something to say about it?"

"Great Britain will scarcely be willing to protect a vessel which, under
the shelter of her flag, is engaged in succouring those who are
rebelling against the rule of a friendly nation!" remarked the officer.
"And, in any case, we are prepared to take the consequences of our acts.
We know this so-called yacht to be a smuggler of contraband of war, and
we intend to seize her."

"What if I were to tell you that we have not an ounce of contraband of
war on board?" enquired Milsom.

"My captain would simply not believe you, Senor," answered the Spaniard.
"You will therefore be pleased to regard this vessel as a prize, and
yourselves as prisoners!" and he stepped quickly to the gangway and
called to the armed crew of the boat to come out of her.  As he did so,
Milsom put a whistle to his lips and blew a short, shrill blast.  There
instantly followed a rush of bare feet along the deck; and as the
Spaniards passed in through the yacht's gangway they found themselves
confronted with some thirty stalwart British seamen, with drawn
cutlasses in their hands and revolvers in their belts.

"Caramba!  What does this mean, Senor?" demanded the Spanish lieutenant,
starting back in dismay at this unexpected _denouement_.

"It means just this, Senor Teniente," answered Milsom; "we don't intend
to stand any nonsense of any description.  You go back to your ship and
tell your captain that, since somebody seems to have sent him out on a
fool's errand, my owner here, Senor Don John Singleton, will--purely as
an act of courtesy, mind you--permit him, or you, to search this ship
from stem to stern and from keel to truck, in order that you may
thoroughly satisfy yourselves that we have no contraband, whether of war
or otherwise, on board.  But there will be no seizure of this ship;
understand that!  Such an act would be an outrage to our flag; and, as
you may see, we are both ready and willing to resist it!  Also, you will
please tell your captain that we demand an ample apology for his high-
handed behaviour in daring to fire upon us."

"Carrajo!  Senor, those are very big words; and you ought to be
perfectly certain of yourself before you use them.  They are offensive,
sir; and a Spanish officer allows no one to use such words to him with
impunity!" exclaimed the Spaniard.

"Sir," retorted Milsom, "the behaviour of your captain in firing upon
this yacht was offensive; and he will find that he cannot treat
Englishmen in that fashion with impunity.  There is a right and a wrong
way of doing these things, and your captain has chosen the wrong way; he
will therefore be made to suffer for it."

"We shall see, Senor Englishman; we shall see," returned the Spaniard.
"Then, am I to understand that you refuse to surrender your ship?"

"Yes, sir," answered Milsom; "that is precisely what I wish you to
understand.  And I wish you to understand, further, that if you dare to
attempt force, I will treat you as a pirate, and sink you, despite your
flag.  You see that I have the means and the power to carry out my
threat--" waving his hand first towards the guns and then towards his
men.

"Very well, Senor," answered the Spaniard, livid with rage at being thus
hectored before his own men, "I will tell my captain what you say; and
it will be for him to decide how he will deal with you.  If it rested
with me, I would blow your ship out of the water.  And I shall remember
your face, Senor; and it may be that some day we shall meet on shore."

"I expect to be in Havana to-morrow, or next day, Senor Teniente, and it
will afford me the greatest pleasure to meet you there," answered
Milsom.  "Good afternoon, and don't forget to tell your captain that if
he chooses to come on board in a friendly way, my owner here will be
very pleased to see him, and to show him all over the ship.  He can look
into every nook and cranny of her if it will afford him any satisfaction
to do so."

The Spanish lieutenant bowed without speaking, signed to his men to go
back into their boat, and followed them down the side.  Five minutes
later Jack and Milsom saw him gesticulating violently on the gunboat's
quarter-deck as he related to the commander of the craft his version of
the recent interview.



CHAPTER SIX.

COMMANDER DON LUIS Y ALBUQUERQUE.

"I say, Phil, you seemed to have your knife into that Spaniard," said
Jack, as he and Milsom stood watching the gunboat.  "You appeared to
take a delight in rubbing his fur the wrong way."

"Yes," agreed Milsom meditatively, "I am afraid I did; and I am afraid,
too, that I went just a little farther than there was any strict need
for.  But then the beggars put my back up, to start with, by firing at
us.  Had they contented themselves with pitching a shot across our fore-
foot, I would not have minded so much; but they fired to hit--if they
could.  Then that lieutenant must needs come swaggering aboard here,
putting on side, and threatening us--actually threatening us--with
arrest, and imprisonment, and goodness knows what else!  I only wish
they would try to take us; I would teach them that it pays to be civil
to Englishmen.--Well, what the dickens are you laughing at?" for Jack
had burst into a hearty peal of laughter.

"Oh, Phil, Phil," Jack exclaimed, when at length he had regained control
of himself, "you are as good as a pantomime!  The idea of you, of all
men, complaining of the other fellow having threatened, and put on side!
Why, man alive, you were just as exasperating as you could possibly be
to the poor chap; and, as to the threatening--why, you were simply
breathing out threatenings and slaughter!  You will have to keep your
weather eye lifting, my hearty, when you get round to Havana; for that
fellow will look out for you, and force you into a fight, as sure as
eggs are eggs."

"All right!" answered Milsom, "I'll not disappoint him; if he wants
fighting he shall have as much as he can take.  But, after all, Jack, I
have no doubt you are right, and that I was a bit `trying', as my poor
mother used to say.  But then, you see, I was `bluffing', doing the
virtuous-indignation business, and all that, you know, for it was
necessary to persuade the gentlemen that we are absolutely virtuous and
innocent; it would never do to allow them to entertain the slightest
shred of suspicion of the vessel, otherwise they would be continually
watching her.  Ah!  As I expected, here comes the skipper himself to
have a talk with us--and also to have a look round.  I expect that,
after what his lieutenant has told him, he is feeling a bit
uncomfortable.  But we must be civil to him and smooth him down; for,
after all, there is nothing to be gained by making enemies without good
and sufficient cause.  And perhaps you, in your character of owner of
the ship, had better tackle this fellow; then we shall have an
opportunity to witness your skill as a diplomatist."

Accordingly, when the captain of the gunboat entered the yacht's
gangway, it was Jack who received him, Milsom simply standing by as a
sort of supporter.

The new arrival was a man apparently a few years older than his
lieutenant, very distinguished looking for the commander of a mere
gunboat, and with a considerably more polished and affable manner than
the man who had preceded him.  He raised his cap at Jack's salutation,
and said, in English:

"Good afternoon, gentlemen!  I am given to understand by my lieutenant
that a most unfortunate mistake appears to have in some inexplicable
manner arisen in connection with this vessel; and I have come on board
for the purpose of putting matters right, if possible."

"You are most welcome, Senor Capitan," answered Jack cordially; "and I
shall be very pleased to render you all the assistance in my power--the
more so since I am very anxious to see as much as possible of your
beautiful island, and may perhaps remain here for some time.  Indeed, I
may say that one reason for my visit to Cuba is that I have had some
idea of investing in a tobacco plantation here."

"Indeed, Senor?" observed the Spaniard.  "Our information pointed to a
very different reason for your visit.  As my lieutenant has already
informed you, we have been led to believe that the presence of your
yacht in Cuban waters was due to sympathy on your part with the
insurgents, and a determination to assist them by smuggling munitions of
war into the country for their use.  And, as my lieutenant has also
informed you, the _Tiburon_ has been sent out specially for the purpose
of seizing the vessel."

"Yes," said Jack suavely, "your lieutenant mentioned that fact--in
somewhat emphatic language; so emphatic, indeed, that, if I may be
permitted to say so, it was almost offensive, and my captain felt bound
to adopt somewhat vigorous speech in expressing our disapproval, not
only of his behaviour, but also of that of your Government.  It is not
usual, Senor, as you must know, for an Englishman, visiting a foreign
country in his own yacht, to have his vessel seized upon the strength of
a mere rumour; and you must allow me to say that, in acting as it has
done, I consider your Government has not only been precipitate, but has
also behaved in such a manner as will evoke a very strong protest from
my own.  The British Government, Senor, is not wont to have its flag
fired upon without exacting ample reparation."

It was quite clear that the Spanish officer was beginning to feel
exceedingly uncomfortable.  He was silent for several seconds, and
appeared to be reviewing the situation.  At length he said:

"Senor, you must not blame my Government for the indiscretion of one of
its officers.  I personally am responsible for the act of firing upon
your ship, which I now acknowledge to have been a quite unjustifiable
act, for which I beg to tender you my most sincere and profound
apologies; although I must be allowed to say that I fired under the
impression that you intended to disregard my summons to heave-to."

"I am afraid, Senor," said Jack, "that your explanation does not go very
far toward mending matters; for my contention is that you had no right
to stop me on the high seas.  But I will allow that to pass, and will
accept your apology, for I have no wish whatever to make matters
unpleasant for you personally, or for your Government; on the contrary,
I am anxious to establish the most amicable relations possible between
myself and the Spanish authorities during my stay in the island:
therefore, having made my protest, I will say no more about it.  But as
there appears to have been some suspicions with regard to the character
of my yacht, I must insist that either you, or someone on your behalf,
shall examine the vessel at once, that you--and, through you, your
Government--may be completely satisfied that such suspicions are
absolutely groundless."

"Senor," said the Spaniard, "you overwhelm me with your generous
consideration.  If you will kindly permit me I should like, as well for
your justification as for my own, to look over your vessel, in order
that I may be in a position to absolutely assure my superiors that their
suspicions are without foundation.  And, to prevent all possibility of
any future misunderstanding, I should like my lieutenant to be present
at the inspection, if you will be so very good as to permit it."

"By all means," answered Jack cordially.  "Pray send your boat for your
lieutenant--and any other officers whom you would like to be present.
The more, the better; for, Senor, you must understand that I wish your
inspection of my yacht to be thorough and exhaustive."

The Spaniard bowed and, stepping to the gangway, called down to his
coxswain, instructing him to proceed to the gunboat and request
Lieutenant Fernandez to come on board the English yacht forthwith.
Then, during the short interval between the dispatch and the return of
the boat, the Spanish Commander chatted affably with Jack and Milsom
upon indifferent subjects, incidentally introducing himself as Commander
Luis y Albuquerque.

Lieutenant Fernandez was in a much more subdued mood when he returned
than he had been upon his departure from the _Thetis_: probably he had
done some hard thinking in the interim, and had come to recognise the
possibility that trouble might be looming ahead of him; at all events
his manner was all courtesy and politeness as he again stepped in
through the gangway.

"Senor Fernandez," said Don Luis, "I am very much afraid that, from what
Don Juan Singleton has told me, there has been a most serious mistake
somewhere, and that we have thus been betrayed into unwittingly
inflicting a most unprovoked affront upon an English gentleman.  Senor
Singleton has, however," with a bow to Jack, "been good enough to accept
my explanation and apologies, and I therefore venture to hope that we
may now consider the incident as closed.  But Senor Singleton insists--
quite justifiably, I think--that we shall satisfy ourselves as to the
falsity of the statement that he is carrying munitions of war; and I
have therefore sent for you to accompany me on a tour of inspection
through this yacht, which we must make so thorough that there shall be
no possibility of any aspersions being hereafter cast upon the integrity
of Don Juan or his vessel.  And now, Senor," to Jack, "we are ready to
accompany you."

"Very well," said Jack.  "Where would you like to begin--forward, or
aft?"

"Perhaps we may as well begin forward, and work our way aft," answered
the Spanish Commander.

"Right," acquiesced Jack.  "Captain Milsom, be so good as to give
instructions for two or three men to attend us below with lanterns.
Meanwhile, gentlemen, perhaps you will give my boats an overhaul.  I
will have the canvas covers stripped off them."

"Oh no, Senor," protested Don Luis, "there is not the slightest
necessity for us to go to such extreme lengths as that; for, assuming
for a moment that you actually had contraband on board, you would not be
in the least likely to carry it stowed in your boats."

Now this offer of Jack's was a piece of "bluff", for his boats were the
only places that he did not wish the Spaniards to examine, since in one
of them was stowed his submarine, the sight of which he knew would be
likely to give rise to renewed suspicions.  And, as we have seen, the
"bluff" worked to perfection, possibly in consequence of the slight, but
none the less perceptible, tone of sarcasm in which Jack made the offer.
With a feeling of carefully suppressed relief, Jack accordingly led the
Spaniards forward to the forecastle, down into which the party
descended, and where they found three men--one of whom was the
carpenter--awaiting them with lighted lanterns.  The forecastle was soon
examined, and then the hatch of the forepeak was lifted, and that
darksome storehouse very carefully explored.  There was no passage from
the forepeak into the hold, as the collision bulkhead ran from the
keelson right up to the deck; and, Jack having pointed out this fact,
the party emerged on deck and descended into the officers' quarters,
proceeding from thence down into the main hold, where they found nothing
but iron ballast and the water tanks, every one of which Jack insisted
should be opened and looked into.  Thence they proceeded to the engine-
room and stokehold, where they found much to admire in the scrupulous
cleanliness and unusual form of the machinery, but no sign or trace of
anything in the nature of contraband.  Then they entered the main
saloon, and examined it and the sleeping cabins, finishing up with the
steward's storeroom, the sail-room, and the powder magazine.  Jack was
quite prepared to be questioned about this last, and he was; but he had
his answer ready.

"Is it usual, Senor Singleton, for English yachts to go as heavily armed
as your vessel is?" suavely enquired Don Luis.

"Not when cruising in home waters," answered Jack.  "But when the
intention is to `cruise foreign', as we phrase it, especially if the
cruise is to be round the world, it is usually considered prudent to
provide the vessel with an armament sufficiently powerful to protect her
from the attacks of pirates--Malays, Chinese, and so on--or, in fact,
aggressors of any description.  For instance," he continued maliciously,
"if we had not happened to have been armed to-day, just consider, Senor,
how unpleasant would have been our predicament at this moment."

Don Luis frowned.  "Pardon me, Senor," said he, "but I hope you are not
labouring under the misapprehension that it is because of your ship
being armed that I have refrained from arresting you; the suggestion is
injurious, Senor.  Your freedom is due entirely to the fact that I
accepted the assurances which you offered to Lieutenant Fernandez, and
was willing to believe that an unfortunate mistake had somehow arisen.
And I trust you will also believe that, had the mistake resulted in
unpleasant consequences to yourself, my Government would have hastened
to make you the most ample reparation on the instant of discovering that
wrong had been done you, as it will, now, if you insist--"

"Pray say no more," interrupted Jack.  "I have not the slightest desire
to place either you, personally, or your Government in an embarrassing
position.  If, therefore, you are fully satisfied that your information
respecting me and my yacht was wrong, I am quite willing to regard the
incident as closed, and to say nothing further about it.  And in proof
of my friendly disposition, permit me to say that it will afford me very
great pleasure if you and your lieutenant will give me the pleasure of
your company at dinner to-night."

But Don Luis very courteously declined Jack's polite invitation, upon
the plea that he felt it to be his imperative duty to return forthwith
to Havana, to report to the authorities there the full and true
circumstances of the case, in order that Jack might be subjected to no
further annoyance from the unfortunate blunder that had somehow been
made.  But no doubt the true explanation of his refusal was to be found
in the fact that his exceedingly sensitive pride was hurt by Jack's
innuendo, and by the fact that he had been placed in a false and
somewhat ridiculous position.  It was bad enough to be made to appear
ridiculous in the eyes of one's own people; but to be humiliated before
one of those arrogant, overbearing Englishmen!  Caramba!  The two
Spaniards therefore took a most ceremonious leave of Jack and Milsom,
descended to their boat, and pulled back to their own ship, which
immediately started her engines and steamed away to the westward,
dipping her colours in salute as she went; while the _Thetis_ resumed
her course to the eastward in the direction of Calonna, off which she
arrived about an hour later.  But the delay occasioned by the incident
of the yacht's encounter with the gunboat had been just sufficient to
prevent the arrival of the _Thetis_ until after the last train of the
day had left Calonna for Pinar del Rio.  Don Hermoso therefore decided
to remain on board the yacht all night, and to leave her in time to take
the first train on the following morning.

Naturally enough, the chief topic of conversation at the dinner-table,
that night, was the encounter with the gunboat, and the clever manner in
which the Spaniards had been "bluffed", Don Hermoso maintaining that it
was entirely due to Jack's skill in the gentle art that no suspicion had
appeared to enter the heads of the Spaniards that the contraband had
already been got rid of.  The matter was very freely discussed, and it
was finally decided that, on the whole, it was a very fortunate
circumstance not only that the encounter had taken place, but that it
had occurred where and when it did; for the ignorance of the Spanish
authorities as to the speed of the yacht would naturally preclude the
suspicion that the vessel had already spent some hours in discharging
her cargo, while the very complete and thorough search to which the
yacht had been subjected was of course conclusive, so far as the non-
existence of contraband on board at that moment was concerned.  The only
point upon which Jack had any uneasiness was the fact of the yacht being
so formidably armed; he had given what he regarded as a very clever and
ingenious explanation of the circumstance, which he hoped would prove
completely satisfactory, but he was nevertheless not wholly free from
doubts on the matter.

On the following morning the two Montijos and Jack were astir betimes,
in order to catch an early train to Pinar del Rio; and nine o'clock
found them ashore and on the platform, waiting for the train to emerge
from the siding into which it had been shunted.  Calonna was not at that
time an important place, nor is the Cuban railway system remarkable for
its efficiency; nothing need therefore be said about either save that
after jolting through some exceedingly beautiful country, which grew
more beautiful with every mile of progress upon a gradually rising
gradient, the travellers were safely landed in the city of Pinar del
Rio--a distance of some fifteen miles from Calonna--in a trifle over an
hour!  Here Senor Montijo's private carriage--a somewhat cumbersome,
four-wheeled affair, fitted with a leather awning and curtains to
protect the occupants from either sun or rain, and drawn by four horses,
the off leader being ridden by a postilion, while the wheelers were
driven from the box--was awaiting them, it having been sent in from the
house on the preceding day.  The luggage having been securely strapped
on to a platform attached to the rear of the coach, Don Hermoso signed
to Jack to enter the vehicle, placed himself by Jack's side, and was
followed by Carlos, when the affair got under way, with a tremendous
amount of shouting and whip cracking, and went rolling and rumbling and
jolting down the narrow street and so out into the country.  There was a
drive of about sixteen miles farther inland and toward the Organ
Mountains before them ere they could arrive at the hacienda Montijo, and
although the road was abominable, and the heat intense, Jack declared
that he had never so thoroughly enjoyed a drive in his life.  For the
country was somewhat rugged, and the scenery therefore very lovely, the
road being bordered on either side by fields of tobacco and sugar, and
here and there a patch of cool green Indian corn, divided from the road
by low hedges which were just then a perfect blaze of multi-coloured
flowers of various descriptions.  It was a fairly busy scene, too, for
the tobacco was ripe, and the fields were alive with labourers of all
colours, from the full-blooded negro to the pure Spaniard, gathering the
crop.  At length, when they had been travelling for about a couple of
hours, and when, despite the charm of everything that he saw around him,
Jack began to grow conscious of the fact that he was aching in every
joint from the rolling and jolting of the carriage, the vehicle turned
off the main road into a lane, access to which was gained through a pair
of massive timber gates hung upon piers of ancient, moss-grown masonry;
and Don Hermoso announced that they were now upon his own demesne.  And
here at once Jack became conscious of a very great change in the
appearance of everything; for not only was the road upon which they were
travelling smooth and well kept, but the fields on either hand, instead
of being half-choked with weeds, as had been the case with most of those
that they had passed, were scrupulously clean, while the labourers,
instead of being picturesque scarecrows, were decently clad, and worked
as men do who are content and happy.  Every man of them was clearly on
the lookout for the carriage, and had a word of respectful greeting for
his returning master, while--what was perhaps stranger still--Don
Hermoso seemed to intimately know every man, woman, and child on the
place, though there were hundreds of them.

At length a bend in the road brought the house in sight, at a distance
of about a mile, and Jack saw before him, perched on the shoulder of a
low eminence, a long, white, bungalow-like structure, with a high,
thatched roof, and a gallery and veranda running along the whole length
of the front, and apparently along the sides also.  The building was of
one storey only, and although the veranda was so broad as to cast the
whole of the front into deep shadow it seemed to Jack that that front
was pierced by at least a dozen doors and windows.  As Jack looked, two
female figures clad in white suddenly made their appearance in the
centre of the gallery, and so beautifully clear was the atmosphere that,
even at that distance, it could be distinctly seen that they were waving
their pocket handkerchiefs to the occupants of the coach.  Carlos also
saw them, and frantically waved his panama by way of reply, shouting, as
he did so:

"Hurrah, Padre; hurrah, Jack!  Look! there are the Madre and Isolda out
on the gallery, waving to us!  I'll bet that they have been watching the
bend of the road through their opera-glasses for the last hour or more!"

"Doubtless," answered Don Hermoso, laughing happily as he too leaned out
of the coach to wave a greeting.  "Since we did not arrive last night,
as arranged, they have naturally expected us to turn up early this
morning."

Winding hither and thither along the hillside, in order to secure an
even and easy gradient, the road presently left the tobacco fields and
passed between broad spaces of lawn luxuriantly clad with guinea-grass,
and having large parterres of flowers scattered about it here and there;
while in other places it was picturesquely broken up by clumps of
feathery bamboo, or gigantic wild cotton and other trees.  At length,
with a final dash and a grand flourish, the carriage drew up in front of
the broad flight of stone steps that led up the scarped and flower-
strewn face of the mound upon which the house was built; and one of the
two female figures came rushing down the steps, bareheaded, despite the
almost vertical sun, and flung herself into the outstretched arms of Don
Hermoso, while the other followed in a somewhat more stately and
dignified manner.

Then, when Don Hermoso had released this first figure from his embrace,
and turned, hat in hand, to meet the second, Senorita Isolda treated her
brother Carlos to a like greeting, after which she turned, with a sunny
smile and eyes flashing welcome, to Jack.

"Isolda," exclaimed Carlos, performing the ceremony of introduction,
"this, as you will of course have guessed, is my old friend and chum,
Jack Singleton, to whom we are so deeply indebted for the very valuable
assistance that he has rendered us in our great undertaking.  He is the
best friend and comrade that ever lived, therefore give him a cordial
welcome, for my sake, dear."

"I give you a thousand welcomes, Senor Jack," she exclaimed impulsively,
as she offered her hand, "and a thousand thanks for all that you have
done for my father and Carlos.  I am delighted that you have been able
to come to us, for I seem to know you quite well; Carlos has talked so
often about you, and of what you used to do together in the old days at
Dulwich, that I feel it quite impossible to regard you as a stranger."

For perhaps the first time in his life Jack Singleton found himself at a
loss for words.  As a rule he had plenty to say for himself, but now he
found himself suddenly dumb.  He had heard his friend Carlos speak of
his sister Isolda with patronising, brotherly affection as "a good
child", "a nice little thing", "not half a bad sort", and so on, and he
seemed to remember that only a day or two ago Carlos had casually
mentioned that his sister was just sixteen years of age; he had
therefore pictured the girl to himself as a hoyden, in the transition
stage of frocks that are neither short nor long, but betwixt and
between, a girl with hair flying loose about her shoulders--in short, a
girl.  And now, all unprepared, he found himself grasping the hand of a
glorious creature of absolutely dazzling loveliness, with the face,
form, and manners of an irresistibly fascinating woman, who, despite her
sixteen years of age, looked as though she might be quite twenty.  He
stammered out a few halting and stumbling words of thanks for her kindly
welcome of him, feeling all the time that he would have liked to kick
himself for his stupid gaucherie; and then turned to receive the
greeting of Senora Montijo.  This lady was simply an older edition of
her lovely daughter, with a more composed and stately manner, and her
welcome to Jack was cordiality itself; and presently they all turned and
made their way into the house, which they entered by way of a wide
doorway furnished with two leaves, now thrown wide open, the upper
panels of which were fitted with Venetian lattices for the admission of
air and the exclusion of the too-ardent beams of the sun.  This doorway
gave entrance to a large, marble-paved hall extending the entire depth
of the house from front to back, as was to be seen from the fact that
another door, opposite that by which the party had just entered, stood
wide open, through which could be seen another broad veranda running
along the back of the house, beyond which could be caught a glimpse of
what appeared to be a kind of courtyard, with more lawns and flower
beds, and a handsome fountain in the centre.  The hall was adorned with
beautiful flowering plants in large tubs, and furnished with an abundant
supply of settees and luxuriously-cushioned basket chairs, and seemed to
be used as a kind of lounging place, for which it was eminently adapted,
since the two open doors caused a constant draught of comparatively cool
air through the apartment.  There were a few good pictures on the walls,
as well as a gun-rack, well fitted with sporting guns and rifles; and a
hatstand which, in addition to its legitimate use, formed a convenient
support for sundry riding-whips and pairs of spurs.  Two passages,
leading to right and left out of this hall, gave access, as Jack
subsequently discovered, to the rooms located at the extremities of the
building.

"Now, Jack, old chap," said Carlos, linking his arm in that of his
friend, after a moment's murmured conversation with his mother, "let me
take you to your room.  You will be glad to have a wash and brush-up
after our dusty journey; and by the time that you are ready, second
breakfast will be served."  And, so saying, he conducted Singleton out
through the rear door of the hall into the back veranda, which, as Jack
now saw, ran not only along the entire rear face of the main building
but also along the face of two wings which projected therefrom at right
angles, one at each end of the house.  These wings, it appeared,
provided the sleeping accommodation, bathrooms, lavatories, and so on,
of the establishment; beyond which again were the kitchen and other
domestic offices, and the coach-house and stables, with the lawn,
fountain, and flower beds between, the buildings being shaded not only
by the broad veranda, but also by rows of orange, lemon, lime, and peach
trees, the fragrance from which imparted an indescribably refreshing
character to the air.  Turning to the left as they emerged from the
hall, Carlos conducted his friend along the left wing until they reached
the last door but one, which the young Cuban threw open, ushering his
friend into a neatly furnished and clean bedroom, in which Jack's
overland trunk had already been deposited.

"The Madre has put you in here, Jack," Carlos explained, "because the
room faces east, and will therefore be cool when you turn in at night,
while the trees in front shield it from the morning sun.  Also it is
next to the men's bathroom, and therefore will be handy for your bath,
night and morning.  Now, there are water, soap, and towels; if you
require anything else, shout for Antonio, and he will bring you whatever
you want.  Breakfast will be ready in a quarter of an hour."



CHAPTER SEVEN.

DON SEBASTIAN ALVAROS THREATENS TROUBLE.

"Second breakfast" in the West Indies is the equivalent of luncheon in
England, except that the former is perhaps the more elaborate meal of
the two; when therefore Jack, escorted by Carlos, entered the fine, airy
dining-room, it at once became evident that he was about to sit down to
a very substantial repast, for which he was not at all sorry, as the
long journey had given him a most excellent appetite.  Moreover, he had
by this time recovered the equilibrium which had been so seriously
disturbed by his first sight of Senorita Isolda, and had again found the
use of his tongue; it was therefore a very gay and happy quintette that
arranged itself around the well-furnished table.  Jack was of course by
this time on almost as intimate terms with Don Hermoso as he was with
Carlos, and he presently discovered that the ladies were disposed to
treat him rather as an old friend than as a new acquaintance; and he
told himself that his visit to Cuba promised to be one of the most
pleasant experiences of his life.

The meal over, Don Hermoso excused himself, as there were naturally many
matters demanding his earliest attention after his long absence from
home; while the Senora had her household affairs to attend to.  Carlos
therefore took the task of entertaining Jack upon himself, with his
sister as chief assistant, and proposed a ride, as there were many
charming spots in the neighbourhood that he wished his friend to see.
The horses were accordingly ordered, and the three young people,
despising the usual afternoon siesta, set off, taking a path which led
upward through a wild and most picturesque ravine, down which a mountain
stream brawled and foamed, the murmurous tumult of its waters mingling
musically with the sough of the wind in the multitudinous trees that
clothed the hillsides, and imparting a most welcome sensation of
coolness to the atmosphere.  They rode at a foot pace, first because
they were in no hurry, and secondly because the path was narrow and
rough, there being room only for two riders abreast; Carlos therefore
led the way, with Jack and Dona Isolda following close at his horse's
tail.  They had not been ten minutes under way when they arrived at a
spot the marvellous natural beauty of which caused Jack to exclaim aloud
in his astonishment: for upon rounding a bend in the path they found
themselves in a little amphitheatre, about five hundred yards across,
the tree-clad sides of which rose precipitously to a great height on
either hand, and were gorgeous with great clustering blooms of every
imaginable hue, from purest white through every shade of colour to a
deep rich purple that looked almost black where seen in shadow; while
the air, almost motionless down in the hollow, was heavy with the
mingling of a thousand exquisite perfumes.  The floor of this
amphitheatre consisted of a great basin of rock, partly filled with fine
white sand brought down from the uplands during countless generations by
the flow of the stream, the basin being brimful of crystal-clear water
which came pouring and plashing into it from above over a series of
miniature cataracts, the lowest of which, about twelve feet high,
impinged upon a small ledge of rock which projected into the basin for
the space of about a yard.

"This," said Carlos, "is our swimming bath, to which we often come for a
dip in the early morning; it is absolutely private, all this being our
own property, and nobody but ourselves ever passes here.  What think you
of it, Jack; is it not perfect?"

Jack pronounced it magnificent, and there and then undertook to join
Carlos in a dip on the following and every other morning during his
stay.  The water was about twenty feet deep, and the place was
consequently perfect for swimming in.  By the side of the road, at a
spot where there happened to be a few square yards of level ground, the
surface had been cleared of the luxuriant undergrowth, and a small
bathing house, containing two dressing-rooms--one for either sex--had
been erected; and here the bathing dresses were kept and the necessary
changes of costume made.

Having spent a little time in admiring this glorious bathing pool, the
party moved onward again, and, following the ever-rising path, at
length, after a most delightful ride of about five miles through a
continuous succession of scenes of surpassing beauty, emerged upon an
open tableland, from which a most extensive and glorious view of mile
upon mile of the southern slope of the island was to be obtained, with
the sea shining in soft, opalescent tints beyond, and the Isla de Pinos,
with its three curiously shaped mountains, lying on the horizon.  The
white sails of a few coasting craft gleamed pearl-like here and there,
just discernible at that distance, and Jack searched the watery expanse
for some sign of the _Thetis_; but she had vanished.  Doubtless she was
on the other side of Cape San Antonio by this time, and therefore well
on her way round to Havana.  Being thus reminded of the existence of the
yacht, Jack was suddenly inspired with a brilliant idea, which he
promptly communicated to Carlos.

"Look here, Carlos, old chap," he exclaimed, "if the yacht is not likely
to be required for other service just at present, why should not we all
take a cruise in her round the island and over to Jamaica, from whence
we might even go on to some of the other islands?  I am sure that the
trip would do your mother and sister a vast amount of good.  Have you
ever been out of Cuba, Senorita?"

"Never," answered Dona Isolda.  "I was born here, and, less lucky than
Carlos, was also educated here; so that I know nothing whatever about
the great outside world, save what I have read of it in books.  Havana
is my conception of a great and handsome city, so you may guess how
ignorant I am, and how intensely I should enjoy seeing other places.  Do
you think, Carlos mio, that Senor Singleton's suggestion is possible of
realisation?"

"It may be," answered Carlos, a little doubtfully.  "Everything will, of
course, depend upon what news may come from the Junta.  I know that the
Padre has placed the vessel unreservedly at their disposal--rather
unwisely, I think--and I shall be very much surprised if they do not
make the fullest possible use of her.  But, of course, if she is not
likely to be required for a month or two, I think it would be an
admirable plan for us all to go for a cruise in her.  It would tend to
avert suspicion from her, too, for I am pretty certain that it will not
be wise to leave her lying idle in Havana or in any other of our
harbours.  I will mention the matter to the Padre at the first
favourable opportunity."

"I am sure it would do Mamma a vast amount of good," remarked Senorita
Isolda; "and it might also have the effect of putting a stop to the
visits of Senor Alvaros, who is fast becoming an unendurable nuisance."

"Indeed!  In what way?" demanded Carlos sharply.

"Why," answered Senorita Isolda, "we are never free from him.  He rides
over here three or four times a week, and makes himself as much at home
as though the place belonged to him, although he has never received the
slightest encouragement either from Mamma or from me.  And then he bores
me with his unwelcome attentions."

"Ah!" ejaculated Carlos through his clenched teeth; "somehow I feared as
much.  The fellow must be choked off by some means.  The question is,
how to do it without giving offence.  You see," he continued, turning to
Jack, "we Cubans are in an exceedingly awkward position, and are obliged
to walk most circumspectly.  We are compelled to submit to many things
that are utterly distasteful to us, for if we did not we should at once
be suspected of harbouring designs inimical to the Government; and, once
regarded with suspicion, our liberty, our property, ay, even our lives,
would be imperilled."

"A confoundedly unpleasant state of things, in truth," said Jack; "but
surely it does not extend so far that you dare not give a man a hint
that his visits to your house are distasteful?"

"Indeed it does, though," answered Carlos.  "Suppose, for example, that
my father were to hint to this fellow Alvaros that he is not wanted
here, and that his visits must cease, the probability is that the man--
who, I may mention, is captain of a regiment of infantry--would at once
proceed to hint to his superiors that all is not right with us, when
there is no knowing what dreadful thing might happen.  The fact is, that
the pride of these fellows is so intense and so sensitive, and they are
withal so destitute of principle, that if a man dares to offend one of
them he at once makes every Spaniard in the island his enemy."

"How would it be if I were to pick a quarrel with him?" suggested Jack.
"They would not dare to interfere with me."

"I am by no means so sure of that," answered Carlos.  "They could do
nothing to you openly, of course; but open, honest, daylight methods are
not regarded here with very much respect just at present, and you might
perhaps mysteriously disappear.  Oh, no, it would never do for you to
attempt to interfere, Jack!  On the contrary, you must most studiously
refrain from anything and everything that would be in the least likely
to breed ill blood between you and the Spaniards, because--who knows?--
we may need your help ere long.  And that you could only effectively
give by maintaining good relations with the Government and its
representatives."

Conversing thus, they at length turned their horses' heads and slowly
took their way back toward the house; and by the time that they reached
it Jack found himself upon terms of almost as complete intimacy with
Senorita Isolda as those he was on with her brother.  For, despite the
intense pride which seems to be so strongly marked a characteristic of
all who have Spanish blood in their veins, Senorita Isolda was a most
charmingly ingenuous, unsophisticated girl, frank and open as the day;
furthermore, she had been so long accustomed to hear Jack spoken of
admiringly by Carlos that she had insensibly acquired a strong
predisposition in his favour; and, finally, and quite contrary to rule,
when at length she met him in the flesh she instantly decided that this
stalwart, handsome young Englishman was all that Carlos had represented
him to be--and very much more.

Upon reaching the house they found, to their disgust, that Captain
Alvaros had again turned up, ostensibly for the purpose of bidding Don
Hermoso and Carlos welcome back to Cuba and hearing from them an account
of their holiday wanderings in Europe.  Jack found the Spanish soldier
to be a man of about thirty-two years of age, tall, swarthy, and by no
means ill-looking: but such physical advantages as he possessed were
heavily discounted by a pair of piercing, black, sinister-looking eyes,
and a distinctly arrogant, overbearing manner; the man evidently thought
well of himself, and took no trouble to conceal the fact.  He greeted
Jack's appearance in Senorita Isolda's company with something very
nearly approaching a scowl, and coldly acknowledged Senora Montijo's
formal introduction of the young man with an air of careless hauteur
that was eloquent of his disapproval of the young man's presence in the
house, which he further emphasised by thereafter contemptuously ignoring
Jack--for a time.  Carlos flushed with angry annoyance as he beheld this
treatment of his friend, for which he apologised as soon as the pair
were alone together; but Jack's sunny temperament was not so easily
ruffled, and he simply laughed, saying:

"Don't you let that worry you, old chap; it doesn't hurt me in the
least.  I don't care a brass button whether the man likes or dislikes
me; I care neither for his friendship nor his enmity.  I am not of a
quarrelsome disposition, as you know, but should he attempt to be
actively disagreeable, or to force a quarrel upon me, I have no doubt
that I shall know how to take care of myself."

When the party again met at the dinner-table there were indications that
Senor Alvaros had made up his mind to treat Jack as a person much too
insignificant to be worthy of the least notice: but he soon found that
he must either abandon this line of policy or himself be left out in the
cold, for the Montijos, one and all, persisted in including Jack in the
conversation; and very quietly and unobtrusively, but none the less
firmly, contrived to make Senor Alvaros understand that the young
Englishman was already regarded as one of themselves.  Seeing this, he
changed his tactics and artfully endeavoured to entrap Jack into an
expression of opinion upon the politics of the island: but the young man
was not to be so easily caught; he laughingly disclaimed any knowledge
of or interest in political questions of any kind, and pointed out that
in any case his acquaintance with Cuba was altogether too recent to have
enabled him to form even the most elementary opinion on the question, at
the same time mentioning as a general axiom that Englishmen were usually
regarded as cherishing a weakness in favour of good government and the
maintenance of law and order.

And later on in the evening, when the party adjourned to the drawing-
room, the soldier again found his endeavours to pose as a _persona
grata_ quietly ignored.  He would fain have monopolised the society of
Dona Isolda for the remainder of the evening, and attempted to carry her
off with him to a remote corner of the room, but Carlos would have none
of it.  His sister had a good voice, and had been taught to use it to
the best advantage, and he wanted his friend Jack to hear her sing some
of the old-fashioned Andalusian folksongs, which she did with
cheerfulness and alacrity, promptly recognising Carlos' intention and
eagerly seconding it.  Then Carlos proclaimed that Jack was a singer and
an accomplished pianist, and insisted that his friend should sing and
play to them; and when Senor Alvaros privately confided to Senorita
Isolda his opinion that English music was simply barbarous, and
Englishmen utterly unendurable, the young lady unhesitatingly declared
that she entirely disagreed with him.  Altogether, Senor Alvaros spent a
distinctly unpleasant evening, for which circumstance he blamed the
young Englishman; and as he rode back to his quarters that night he
cursed the English nation freely, and Jack in particular, for whom, he
decided, there was no room in Cuba.  And the worst of it all was that
not a word had been said, not a thing had been done, to which he could
openly take the slightest exception.

But how was this pestilent young cub of an Englishman to be got rid of?
That was the question that worried Alvaros during the greater part of
that night and the whole of the next day.  The first impulse of the
Spaniard was to deprive the Montijo family of his (Alvaros') countenance
and society until, alarmed at the loss, they should dismiss the cause of
it: but upon further reflection he came to the conclusion that it might
be unwise to adopt so very drastic a step, for two very good and
sufficient reasons, the first of which was that, being impecunious
himself, he had fully made up his mind to marry Dona Isolda and thus
acquire a substantial interest in the Montijo property and estates, and
was therefore unwilling to do anything which might possibly jeopardise
the position which he had worked so hard to gain as a friend of the
family; while the second reason was that he was by no means sure that
his abstention would be regarded by the Montijos as a matter of very
great moment.  Then it was most unfortunate that Jack was not only an
Englishman, but a young man doubtless of position and substance, or he
would not be the owner of so costly a plaything as a steam-yacht.  Had
he been anything but an Englishman, or an American, it would have been
comparatively easy to have had him arrested upon a charge of complicity
with the insurgents; but these nations had a most awkward and
inconvenient habit of looking after their people, and whenever one of
them chanced to get into trouble their Governments always insisted upon
instituting the most exhaustive enquiries into the matter, and were wont
to make it understood, with almost brutal distinctness of manner, that
they would not tolerate anything that bore the slightest suspicion of
irregularity.  He had heard it whispered that the authorities had
received a hint from their spies on the other side to look out for a
yacht which was suspected of having on board contraband for the use of
the insurgents; but he argued that the vessel in question could scarcely
be the craft owned by this young man, for the simple reason that there
appeared to be nothing of a surreptitious or secret nature in his
movements, or in those of his yacht, which, as he understood, was, or
would very shortly be, in Havana harbour.  No, the more he thought about
it, the more profoundly was he convinced that it would be impossible to
bring about Jack's removal by an attempt to involve him in the political
unrest of the islanders.  Some other means must be tried.  He wondered
whether, perchance, it might be possible to frighten the young man into
an early departure from the casa Montijo and the island.  It was not a
very easy matter to frighten an Englishman, he knew, and this particular
one impressed Alvaros as being especially unpromising in that respect;
still, there was no harm in trying.  Accordingly when, upon the next day
but one, the Spaniard again rode over to call upon the Montijos, he made
an opportunity to take Jack on one side for a moment and ask him whether
he had yet fixed a date for his departure from the island.

"A date for my departure?" echoed Jack.  "Certainly not, Senor.  On the
contrary, it is my intention to make quite a long stay here, and see
Cuba from end to end.  It is even possible that I may decide to purchase
a property on the island, and try my luck as a tobacco planter."

"I fervently trust not, Senor, for your own sake," said Alvaros.
"Permit me to offer you a little friendly advice.  Cut short your visit,
and leave Cuba at once.  I advise you, as a friend, to do so."

"Indeed!" said Jack.  "And why, pray?  Of course you have some good
reason for offering me this advice, Senor Alvaros?"

"Yes," answered Alvaros, "I have; and it is this.  Cuba is in a most
unsettled state at present.  She is seething with rebellion, and all
strangers are regarded with the utmost suspicion by the Government.
Nothing would be easier than for you to find yourself involved in one of
the numerous conspiracies which we know to be brewing; and, once
involved, you would find it exceedingly difficult, if not absolutely
impossible, to extricate yourself.  Therefore take my advice, and go
forthwith.  It is good advice; for I tell you plainly that you are not
wanted here!"

"Thanks!" answered Jack coolly.  "I am very much obliged to you, Senor
Alvaros, for the friendly feeling which has prompted you to give me what
I suppose you wish me to understand as a `warning'.  But I must tell you
candidly that I believe you are taking a very exaggerated view of the
danger--if danger there be, which I greatly doubt.  But, danger or no
danger, I shall still carry out my original plans; and if danger should
come--well, I daresay I shall be quite able to take care of myself."

So that was no good!  The Spaniard had feared that it would not be of
much use to attempt to frighten an Englishman; and so it had proved.
Well, there were other ways, and those must be tried.

After Alvaros had left, that night, and the family had separated, Jack
accompanied Carlos into the room of the latter, and related what had
passed between the Spanish officer and himself, asking Carlos for his
opinion upon the subject.

"I will tell you, Jack, just exactly what I think," answered Carlos,
after considering the matter for some few minutes.  "You must know that
Captain Alvaros made our acquaintance about a year ago, at a ball given
in Havana by the Capitan-General of the island.  After that he contrived
to meet one or more of us on frequent occasions; and finally he
requested the Padre's permission to visit us.  We none of us
particularly liked him; but it is not altogether wise policy to offend a
Spaniard, especially if he happens to be an official, in these times,
and so the Padre rather reluctantly gave his consent, and Alvaros
accordingly called here occasionally.  While we have been away, however,
it appears that the man has somehow contrived to get himself posted at
Pinar del Rio, which, as you are aware, is not very far from here; and I
learn that since then his calls have been so frequent as to have become
a thorough nuisance.  Now, from what my sister tells me, I have a
suspicion that Alvaros is anxious to contract a matrimonial alliance
with our family--which, I may tell you at once, Jack, he will not be
permitted to do; and my belief is that the fellow simply cannot endure
to see another man in Isolda's society, and that is why he wants you to
go.  But of course you won't; and I am very glad indeed that you made
that quite clear to him.  He was evidently trying to scare you off what
he apparently chooses to consider his preserves; but if he knew you as
well as I do, Jack, he would understand that it needs a good deal more
than the vague hints of a captain of Spanish infantry to frighten you.
Now, my advice to you is to take no notice whatever of the beggar, and
if he tries it on again--well, just repeat what you said to-night.
And--perhaps it will be better not to mention the matter, at all events
just yet, to the Padre, or in fact anyone else."

"All right, old chap," answered Jack; "you may trust me.  But, look
here, Carlos, I hope that my presence in this house is not going to
involve any of you in trouble or difficulty of any sort with the
Government.  If I thought that there was the least likelihood of that--"

"My dear chap, there isn't," interrupted Carlos.  "We are one of the
oldest and most influential families in Cuba; and the Spaniards know
perfectly well that to meddle with us would be to make a very serious
mistake.  So do not allow any idea of that kind to worry you in the
least.  You will stay on here just as long as you like; and the longer
you stay the better we shall all be pleased.  Besides, there is going to
be a rising here before long, and then you will have an opportunity to
witness several very interesting things."

Two days later Captain Alvaros again presented himself; but this time,
instead of entering the house in his usual free and easy manner, he
enquired for Don Hermoso and, upon learning that that gentleman was in
his office, sent in a formal request for a private interview.  He was at
once admitted, and found Don Hermoso seated at a large writing table,
which was strewed with account books and papers.  The Don accorded his
visitor a courteous if somewhat stiff welcome, and, having requested him
to be seated, enquired in what way he could be of service--for this
formal visit had somehow suggested to Don Hermoso the idea that Captain
Alvaros desired to borrow money from him.

"Such a visit as this from me, Don Hermoso, can have but one object, and
I think you will have no difficulty in guessing what that object is,"
replied Alvaros, with a somewhat embarrassed laugh.

"Pardon me, Senor," answered Don Hermoso; "you credit me with a much
larger measure of perspicacity than I can lay claim to.  To be perfectly
frank with you, I cannot conceive why you should desire a private
interview with me, unless--how shall I put it?--unless--you find
yourself in a position of temporary pecuniary embarrassment; and in that
case I should have thought that--"

"Senor Montijo," exclaimed Alvaros, starting to his feet indignantly,
"do you wish to insult me?"

"Certainly not, Senor," answered Don Hermoso blandly.  "Pray be seated,
and dismiss from your mind at once any such unworthy suspicion.  Why
should I desire to insult you?  But if I am mistaken in my guess as to
the object of your visit, would it not be best for you to state your
business with me explicitly?"

"I will, Senor," answered Alvaros.  "To be both explicit and brief,
then, I have called upon you this morning for the purpose of demanding
the hand of your daughter, Senorita Isolda, in marriage."

"To demand--the hand of--my daughter--in marriage?" gasped Don Hermoso
in amazement.

"Certainly, Senor Montijo," retorted Alvaros haughtily.  "Surely there
is nothing so very extraordinary in making such a demand, is there?"

"Nothing very extraordinary, certainly," returned Don Hermoso, who had
quickly recovered a grip upon himself; "but something most entirely
unexpected, I assure you.  You do me and my family too much honour,
Senor Alvaros.  I presume you have some reason for supposing that your
suit will be acceptable to my daugh

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