iness that had taken me to Kingston,
I returned to the schooner pretty late in the afternoon, Winter and
Comben accompanying me to have a look at the galleon and the _Sword
Fish_; and later on I returned with them to Kingston to keep my dinner
appointment with the Admiral.

I found my host, as usual, with his table full of company, among them
being the captain of the _Triton_ frigate, and several other naval
officers, all of whom were exceedingly civil to me, especially after I
had related the particulars of the capture of the galleon. We spent a
very pleasant evening; and when at length the guests rose to go, the
Admiral whispered to me to remain as he had something to say to me.
Accordingly, when all hands but myself had left, my host conducted me to
what he called his "snuggery", which was a comer of his spacious
verandah inclosed with large glazed partitions, and fitted up as a
smoking-room. His negro butler set out the table with glasses,
decanters, a big crystal jug of sangaree, and a box of cigars, and left
us.

As soon as we were alone and had made ourselves comfortable, the old
gentleman turned to me, seemed to look me through and through for
several seconds, so intently did he rivet his gaze upon me, and then he
remarked:

"I dare say you are wondering what this important matter can be that has
caused me to keep you behind in order that I may have an opportunity to
talk it over with you. Well, my dear fellow, I am a poor hand at
beating about the bush; if I have a thing to say, I like to say it
outright; so tell me, now, has it ever occurred to you to wish that you
were a king's officer, instead of being merely a privateersman?"

"Upon my word, Sir Peter, that is a strange question indeed to ask,"
said I; "but I do not mind confessing to you that I have over and over
again regretted that circumstances did not permit me to enter His
Majesty's service. Not that I have any real cause to complain, for I
suppose I may now call myself a fairly rich man, with the division of
the galleon's prize-money in prospect; much richer than I should have
been by this time had I had an opportunity to enter the navy. At the
same time I have been impressed over and over again with the honour and
distinction attaching to His Most Gracious Majesty's service, and which
are wholly apart from any question of the length of a man's purse; and
it is impossible to shut one's eyes to the fact that, if a man happens
to be ambitious