d Jack. "By Jove, I had not thought of that! Will she
need any guns?"

"She certainly will, if she is to be as useful as she ought to be,"
answered Milsom.

"Um!" said Jack; "that complicates matters a bit, doesn't it? I am
afraid that I must refer that point to Senor Montijo, the actual owner.
What sort of armament would you recommend for such a craft, Phil?"

"Oh! not a very heavy one," answered Milsom; "probably four 12-pounders,
of the latest pattern, and a couple of Maxims would be sufficient."

Jack made a note of these particulars for reference to Senor Montijo,
and then said:

"Now, is there anything else that you can think of, Phil?"

"Nothing except an outfit of small arms--rifles, revolvers, and
cutlasses, you know, for the crew," answered Milsom. "If anything else
should occur to me I will write and mention it."

"Very well; pray do so," said Jack. "Now, I think that is all for the
present. Pick a first-class, thoroughly reliable crew, Phil. I give
you a week in which to look for them, by which time I expect the boat
will be ready to receive them. Then you can bring them all north with
you, and we will ship them in the proper orthodox style. Now, good-bye;
and good luck to you in your search!"

CHAPTER THREE.

THE S.Y. THETIS, R.T.Y.C.

The next day was spent by Jack, at Mr Nisbett's invitation, in
visiting, in the company of that gentleman, the establishments of
certain manufacturers of firearms, where he very carefully inspected and
tested the several weapons submitted to him for approval; finally
selecting a six-shot magazine rifle, which was not only a most excellent
weapon in all other respects, but one especially commending itself to
him on account of the simplicity of its mechanism, which he believed
would prove to be a very strong point in its favour when put into the
hands of such comparatively unintelligent persons as he strongly
suspected the rank and file of the Cuban insurgents would prove to be.
He also decided upon an exceedingly useful pattern of sword-bayonet to
go with the rifle, and also a six-shot revolver of an especially
efficient character; and there and then gave the order--through Mr
Nisbett--for as large a number of these weapons, together with
ammunition for the same, as he believed the yacht could conveniently
stow away. This done, he returned to his hotel, reaching it just in
good time for dinner; and devoted the evening to the concoction of a
letter t