to bed, gave me a dainty little meal of broth and the
breast of a roasted chicken, administered a stiff dose of some new
concoction, characterised chiefly by its superlative nastiness, and then
left me to go to sleep, which I did with amazing promptitude.

This sort of thing continued for a fortnight, my "sitting-up" time being
gradually extended until on the fourteenth day Mama Elisa, my
medico-in-chief, pronounced me well enough to turn out for second
breakfast and to stay up for the remainder of the day. Then, as I
gradually recovered my strength, came little walks in the company of Don
Luis, Dona Inez, or perhaps both together, at first for a few yards
only, as far as a certain flower-bed and back, then to some point near
at hand from which a specially charming vista was to be obtained, and
finally up into the mountains for a distance of a mile or so.

By the time that this stage of my convalescence was reached I had
arrived at the conclusion that it was high time I should think of
relieving my kind benefactors of my company, and return to duty, and on
a certain day I took advantage of the circumstance of being alone with
my host to mention the matter, and to ask him if he could put me in the
way of obtaining a passage back to Jamaica, explaining that although, as
he was aware, I had not a single coin in my possession, I could pay my
passage-money immediately upon my arrival at Port Royal.

"My dear fellow," said Don Luis, laying his hand almost affectionately
upon my shoulder, "I knew of course that this must come, sooner or
later; we could not reasonably expect to keep you with us always--you
naturally desire to return to your profession and your duty as early as
possible; but do you not think that you are just a little hasty, a
little over-eager, in mentioning this matter to me so soon? After all,
you know, you are by no means well, as yet; your strength is no doubt
equal to a leisurely walk of two or three miles about the neighbourhood;
but do you really think that you are strong enough to return at once to
the hardship and exposure of a sailor's life?"

"Yes," I said; "I certainly think so; indeed, I believe I am a great
deal stronger than you seem to imagine. Besides, it is quite possible
that I may not be sent to sea again immediately upon my return; there
may be no ship for me just at the moment when I next turn up at Port
Royal, and in that case I may have a short spell of shore duty before
again goi