ggage conveyed
ashore, where they chartered another boat in which they were rowed out
to the _Angamos_. The object of the double journey was to keep, as far
as possible, their movements secret.

Having arrived on board, Jim found that everything was in readiness for
a start, except for the fact that certain stores had not yet come off
from the shore. He mustered his crew aft, however, and proceeded to
read his commission to them. His appointment to the command was
received with cheers of delight, for the crew was made up, for the most
part, of men drafted from the other ships of the squadron, consequently
they either knew Jim personally or had heard something of his exploits.
They therefore knew what sort of commander they were sailing under, and
looked forward to a lively and adventurous cruise. Douglas then sent
the purser and a few men ashore to hurry up the belated stores; and by
midnight everything and everybody was on board--and the ship ready. But
remembering Admiral Riveros' orders as to sailing on the morrow, he
waited until daybreak, and then signalled that everything was in
readiness for his departure, and inquired whether it was the admiral's
pleasure that he should sail at once. The answer promptly came back
that the sooner he sailed the better; and Jim, ordering the saluting
guns to be manned and loaded, made his way with a proud step to the
navigating bridge, and rang his engines to half-speed ahead, the anchor
having already been got up.

There was a responsive tinkle from the bridge-telegraph, at which the
young commander smiled, for he recognised, in the long-continued
response, the hand of Mr Terence O'Meara. A slight tremor thrilled
through the hull as the screw began to revolve, and the shipping in the
harbour drifted slowly astern as the fine 1180-ton cruiser gathered way
and threaded her path out of the anchorage. Then, as she passed the
_Blanco Encalada_, the guns roared out their salute, and a tempest of
cheers burst out on board the flagship as her crew recognised who it was
that was standing on the cruiser's bridge; and Jim could see the glances
of astonishment and the questioning looks writ large upon the faces of
his recent companions. But the _Angamos_ was past the flagship in about
half a minute, and Jim then put his engines at full speed. The cruiser,
which had only very recently been built, was capable of steaming at the
rate of fourteen knots, consequently she was at least tw