the party, it could not be helped, and all who had
letters to send to New York went to work to scribble them as fast as
they could. Mrs. Cliff also wrote a note to Captain Horn, informing him
of the state of affairs, and of their reasons for not waiting for him,
and this the departing clergymen undertook to leave with Beaver &
Hughes, where Captain Horn would be sure to call.

When Shirley reached the counting-house of Beaver & Hughes, he found
that it was a great advantage to be backed up by a pair of reverend
clergymen, who had come to Kingston in a handsome yacht. The message for
Captain Hagar was delivered without hesitation, and the best wishes were
expressed that they might be able to overtake the _Dunkery Beacon_.

"Her course will be south of Tobago Island," said Mr. Beaver, "and then
if your yacht is the vessel you say it is, I should say you ought to
overtake her before she gets very far down the coast. I don't know that
Captain Hagar will turn back when he gets this message, having gone so
far, but, of course, if it is important, I am glad there is a vessel
here to take it to him."

"What sort of a looking vessel is the _Dunkery Beacon_?" asked Shirley.

"She is about two thousand tons," said the other, "has two masts which
do not rake much, and her funnel is painted black and white, the stripes
running up and down. There are three steamers on the line, and all their
funnels are painted that way."

"We'll be apt to know her when we see her," said Shirley, and with a
hurried leave, he and his companions hastened back to the wharves.

But on the way a thought struck Shirley, and he determined to take time
to go to the post-office. There might be something for him, and he had
not thought of it before. There he found a telegraphic message addressed
to him and sent from Vera Cruz to New York, and thence forwarded by
mail. It was from Captain Horn, and was as long as an ordinary business
note, and informed Shirley that the Captain expected to be in Jamaica
not long after this message reached Kingston. There was no regular
steamer which would reach there in good time, but he had chartered a
steamer, the _Monterey_, which was then being made ready for sea as
rapidly as possible, and would probably clear for Kingston in a few
days. It urged Shirley not to fail to keep the _Dunkery Beacon_ in port
until he arrived.

Shirley stood speechless for some minutes after he had read this
message. This telegram had come