ited in his official quarters. His office was in the
Calle Grande, and the sea breezes hummed through its windows all day.
The collector, in white linen and canvas shoes, philandered with
papers on an antique desk. A parrot, perched on a pen rack, seasoned
the official tedium with a fire of choice Castilian imprecations. Two
rooms opened into the collector's. In one the clerical force of young
men of variegated complexions transacted with glitter and parade
their several duties. Through the open door of the other room could
be seen a bronze babe, guiltless of clothing, that rollicked upon the
floor. In a grass hammock a thin woman, tinted a pale lemon, played
a guitar and swung contentedly in the breeze. Thus surrounded by
the routine of his high duties and the visible tokens of agreeable
domesticity, the collector's heart was further made happy by the
power placed in his hands to brighten the fortunes of the "innocent"
Felipe.

Felipe came and stood before the collector. He was a lad of twenty,
not ill-favoured in looks, but with an expression of distant and
pondering vacuity. He wore white cotton trousers, down the seams
of which he had sewed red stripes with some vague aim at military
decoration. A flimsy blue shirt fell open at his throat; his feet
were bare; he held in his hand the cheapest of straw hats from the
States.

"Senor Carrera," said the collector, gravely, producing the showy
commission, "I have sent for you at the president's bidding. This
document that I present to you confers upon you the title of Admiral
of this great republic, and gives you absolute command of the naval
forces and fleet of our country. You may think, friend Felipe, that
we have no navy--but yes! The sloop the _Estrella del Noche_, that my
brave men captured from the coast smugglers, is to be placed under
your command. The boat is to be devoted to the services of your
country. You will be ready at all times to convey officials of the
government to points along the coast where they may be obliged to
visit. You will also act as a coast-guard to prevent, as far as you
may be able, the crime of smuggling. You will uphold the honour and
prestige of your country at sea, and endeavour to place Anchuria
among the proudest naval powers of the world. These are your
instructions as the Minister of War desires me to convey them to you.
_Por Dios!_ I do not know how all this is to be accomplished, for
not one word did his letter contain in res