and then broke
ground by saying:

"Well, Lascelles, old boy, do you happen to know whereabouts we are?"

"Certainly," I answered, in perfectly good faith; "we are now just about
one hundred and twenty miles to the northward and westward of La
Guayra."

"Precisely. And we are--also--in--the--centre--of--a--hobble!" retorted
the lively youth, nodding his head impressively at every word to give it
additional emphasis. "In the centre of a hobble--that's where you and I
happen to be at the present moment," he continued more soberly. "Let us
look at the facts of the case. To start with, we are manifestly on
board the wrong ship. The crew of that ship, or _this_ ship--it is all
the same in the present case--take us to be, not two unfortunate
fugitive British midshipmen yearning to return to their duty, but two
officers of the Spanish navy told off by that no doubt most respectable
old gentleman--whose acquaintance I regret I have not yet had the honour
of making--the captain-general, to execute a certain duty which we may
perhaps make a rough guess at, but as to the precise nature of which we
are at present without any definite information. Do you agree with me
so far?"

"Yes," said I. "But why can't you discuss the matter seriously? It may
prove serious enough for us both at any moment, Heaven knows!"

"True for you, O lovelorn youth with the solemn visage. But wherefore
this emotion? _Becoje tu heno mientras que el sol luciere_ is as sound
a bit of wisdom as any that I have happened to pick up during our
exceedingly pleasant sojourn at La Guayra. `Make hay whilst the sun
shines!'--make the most of your opportunities--have all the fun you can
during your enforced absence from the jurisdiction of the first luff--is
a proverb which ought to command the most profound respect of every
British midshipman; and I am surprised at you, Lascelles, and
disappointed in you, that you so little endeavour to live up to it,"
remarked Courtenay. "However," he resumed, "there is a certain
glimmering of truth in what you say; this hobble--I like the word
`hobble,' don't you, so expressive, eh?--this hobble, then, in the
centre of which we find ourselves, may prove a serious enough matter for
us both at any moment, so let us go carefully over the ground and
ascertain exactly how we stand. To start once more. I suppose you are
prepared to accede to my proposition before stated, that we have by some
unaccountable mistake blunde