and he was ready for the start. The time the voyage would take did not
much trouble him. It might be a month or six weeks yet before the admiral
reached Brazil; and if what was said of the fleet were true, the work of
getting it fit for sea would be a long one, as his experience in Chili had
taught him. Even, then, if the voyage was much longer than he expected, he
might still be in time to join the admiral before he sailed. He went on
board that night, and in the morning put on his rough clothes and assisted
to make sail. In a short time the vessel dropped down the river, and in a
few hours was fairly out at sea.

Stephen messed with the crew forward, and seeing his readiness to assist,
and his handiness when aloft, he soon became popular with them, though
they constantly expressed their surprise that a Peruvian should be so good
a sailor. The wind was favourable and steady, and although the vessel was
becalmed for three or four days, she dropped anchor in the port of
Santiago three weeks after leaving Para. The mate of the vessel had been
very friendly with Stephen during the voyage, and said to him the day
before they arrived, that if he wished to go on to Europe he was sure that
the captain would give him a free passage, as he was as good a hand as the
best of the crew.

"To tell you the truth, senor," Stephen said, "I don't want to get to
Europe, but to Rio. I have friends there who will give me employment, but
the only way that I could see to manage it was to come here and take a
passage in the first ship bound there."

"Very well. I will inquire directly we get in if there is a ship in
harbour bound there, and if so you shall be rowed straight on board, which
will save you the expense of living on shore, and perhaps a lot of bother
with the authorities, who are always prying into people's business."

There were eight or ten vessels in harbour when they arrived; and the
mate, after going ashore, brought back word that one was a British ship
bound for Rio.

"She will probably sail in the morning," the mate said; "and as the port
officials have already been on board and checked off the passengers, we
can take you off after dark without risk of any bother."

Accordingly, as soon as it was dark two hands rowed Stephen across to the
English barque.

"What do you want, my man?" the mate asked when he stepped on deck.

"I want a passage to Rio," Stephen replied in English. "I am a sailor and
am ready to work my