me, skipper. You know me. It's fust come
fust served at times like this. Say a word for me, sir, afore some
other lubber steps in and gets the job as won't do it half so well. Mr
Burnett, sir--Mr Poole, you will put a word in too, won't you?"

"I do not want any words put in," said the new President gravely. "I
know you, my man, and what you can do. I know you too as one of the
friends who have fought for me so bravely and so well. You shall get
the gunboat off the rocks."

In his excitement Chips did the first steps of the sailor's hornpipe,
but suddenly awakening to a sense of his great responsibility, he pulled
himself up short with a sharp stamp upon the deck, thrust his right
fore-finger into his cheek, and brought it out again _plop_.

"Stand by there, sir! Steady it is. I like things right and square. I
never did a job like this afore; but you trust me, and I'll do my best."

"I do trust you," said Don Ramon, smiling and holding out his hand, "and
I know such a British seaman as you will do his best."

The carpenter flushed like a girl and raised his hand to grasp the
President's, but snatched his own back again to give it three or four
rubs up and down, back and front, upon the leg of his trousers, like a
barber's finishing-touch to a razor, and then gave the much smaller
Spanish hand such a grip as brought tears not of emotion but of pain
into the President's eyes.

"Now then, for the shore!" cried the Don. "But, Captain Reed, my
friend, I am never satisfied. You will help me once again?"

"You know," replied the skipper, "as far as I can."

"Oh, you will not refuse this," said the President, laughingly. "It is
only to transport as many of my people as the schooner will bear. I
shall have to trust to fishing-boats and the two small trading vessels
that are in the port to bear the rest, I must take a strong force, and
make many prisoners, for not one of the gunboat's crew must escape."

"Oh, you won't have much trouble with that," said the skipper. "Once
you have the full upper hand--"

"I have it now," said the Spaniard haughtily.

"Then they will all come over to your side."

"You will come with me ashore?" said the Don.

"Yes; but when shall you want to sail? To-morrow--the next day?"

"Within an hour," cried the Spaniard, "or as soon after as I can. I
must strike, as you English say, while the iron is in the fire."

"Well, that's quick enough for anything," whispered Fitz.