she lies. Why, Chips, that's in your way. What a job
it would be for you!"

"Job for me, sir?" said the man, staring.

"Yes. That gunboat and her fittings must have cost a tremendous sum of
money. It would be the making of you if you could get her off."

The carpenter stared, and then gave his thigh a slap which sounded like
the crack of a revolver.

"Yuss!" he cried. "I never thought of that. My word, shouldn't I like
the job!"

"Think you could do it, Chips?" cried Fitz.

"I'd try, sir. Only let 'em give me the job. But the skipper wouldn't
let me go."

"Well, you don't want to go, Winks," said Poole.

"That's a true word, sir. I don't want to go. The _Teal's_ good enough
for me. But I should like to have the getting of that gunboat off all
the same. Let's see; that there Don Ramon wants it, doesn't he?"

"Yes," cried Poole.

"I say, look out!" cried Fitz. "Here's Chips's dissolving view
dissolving away."

The declaration was quite true, for the gunboat was slowly disappearing,
as the _Teal_ sailed on, to reach Velova Bay without further adventure
or mishap.

All seemed well as they sighted the port, and Don Ramon's flag was
fluttering out jauntily; but to the astonishment of all on board, as
they drew nearer the fort there was a white puff of smoke, and then
another and another.

The British colours were run up, but the firing went on, and the skipper
grew uneasy.

"Villarayo must have captured the place," he said, as he looked through
his double glass.

"Here, I don't see any shot striking up the water, father," cried Poole.

"No; I tell you what it is," cried Fitz. "They are glad to see us back.
They are firing a salute."

Fitz was right, and before long a barge was coming off, with the
national colours trailing behind, Don Ramon being made out seated in the
stern-sheets in uniform, and surrounded by his officers. He looked
ceremonious and grand enough in his State barge, but there was no
ceremony in his acts. He sprang up the side as soon as the coxswain
hooked on, and embraced the skipper with the tears in his eyes, the two
lads having to suffer the same greeting in turn, so as not to hurt the
feelings of one whose warmth was very genuine.

"Oh, my friend the captain," he cried, "I have been wasting tears on
your behalf. You did not _come_ back, and the news was brought by three
different fishing-boats that the enemy had driven you ashore and wrecked
and burned your beau