without calling in. There were several
men-o'-war and a whole fleet of merchantmen lying at anchor in the bay,
off Bridgetown, which led me to conjecture that a large convoy had
either just arrived from home or was mustering there for the homeward
passage. The trade wind still favouring us, and blowing a brisk breeze,
we sighted Saint Vincent that same afternoon, and passed its northern
extremity about midway through the second dog watch; and finally, on the
fourth day after passing Barbados, we made the island of Jamaica, and
anchored off Port Royal just as eight bells of the afternoon watch was
striking.

The moment that the anchor was down I jumped into the gig and, leaving
Jack in charge, pulled ashore, in the hope of finding the admiral in his
office, although I feared that the hour was rather late. By the
luckiest possible chance, however, it happened that, being exceptionally
busy just then, he had deferred his departure for Kingston, and I caught
him just as he was about to leave. The old gentleman seemed a good deal
put out at finding that he was still to be further delayed and, with a
gesture of annoyance, broke the seal of the packet containing the
dispatches and began to read the first one, standing. Before he had
read much above a dozen words, however, his look of vexation gave place
to one of astonishment, and that, in turn, to one of intense
satisfaction. "Well, I'll be shot! Most extraordinary! Aha! I begin
to see light. Yes, yes, of course... Capital! splendid! I know how to
checkmate 'em. Only just in time though, by Jove!" I heard him mutter
as he read on, at first almost inaudibly, but louder and louder as his
excitement grew, until he had completed the perusal of the principal
document. Then he turned it over again and looked at the date, looked
at it as though he could scarcely believe his eyes. Finally he turned
to me and said:

"On what date were these dispatches handed to you, young gentleman?"

I told him.

"Do you mean to say, sir, that you have made the passage across in a
fortnight?" he demanded.

"Yes, sir," I said. "But we happened to be exceptionally favoured in
the matter of weather, and I have carried on day and night; in fact the
studding-sails have never been off her from the moment when I squared
away until I took them in for good about an hour ago."

"What is your name, young man?" was the next question, for as yet he had
only read the dispatch, leaving the c