to the window. "There they go
again. Why, Don, that's not a Spanish but good old English shout. Yes,
there they go again. I don't know what it means, but I can hear, far
off as they are, those were the voices of some of my crew."

"What?" cried the President.

"Come here, all of you," cried the captain, "and look out. There's
nothing to fear. Follow my lead and give another cheer back. That
shouting came from the gunboat deck. Look, Don Ramon, you can see my
fellows waving their caps, and those two boys are busy on the bridge
doing something, I can't make out what. Yes, I can, they're bending on
a flag. There: up it goes. Why, gentlemen, we have been scaring
ourselves at a puff of powder smoke. Why, by all that's wonderful--" He
stopped short and held up his hand.

"Silence, please," he cried after a pause, and a dead stillness reigned
once more as every one who could get a glimpse of the gunboat strained
his neck to stare.

"I am stunned, confused," whispered the President. "What is it,
captain? For pity's sake speak."

"No, sir, I'll let your best friend do that."

"My best friend? You speak in riddles."

"Yes, wait a minute, and the answer, a big one, to this great riddle
will come," cried the captain. "Can't you see, man? the lads are busy
there getting ready for your friend to speak. Another moment or two and
you will hear what he says--that Don Ramon is President of this
Republic, and his seat in the chair is safe against any enemy that may
come. Ah, all together. Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!"

The skipper's cheer was loud, but it was stifled before it was
half-uttered, for once more that terrific roar arose, making the
Presidential building quiver and the glass in several of the windows
come tinkling down into the stone-paved court.

Most of those present had this time seen the flash--the roar had set the
ears of all ringing once again, as a great puff of smoke dashed out like
a ball and then rose slowly in the sunshine, forming itself into a great
grey ring, quivering as another burst of cheering arose from the
gunboat's deck.

For it was neither attack from the cunning enemy nor the catastrophe
caused by explosion, as the fresh burst of cheering from the gunboat
fully explained, for they were British cheers from the prize crew,
echoed by those on board the schooner.

There was nothing the matter, only a happy thought had occurred to the
middy, and he wondered that it had not come