Phil saluted and turned away. What did it mean? The captain surely did not believe him guilty of the act he was accused of by Lazar, else he would not place him in such a responsible position. He felt he had been removed from the turret under a cloud, yet his promotion to the office as secretary and assistant to his commanding officer took out most of the sting. “Phil, you can dismiss it from your mind,” Sydney told him after he had given him the good news. “Lazar has played his trump card, but he has not moved the captain. He likes you, and of those we like it is hard to believe evil.” Phil’s face beamed with pleasure. “Syd, I count myself, indeed, fortunate to have two such friends, you and Captain Taylor,” he answered, lowering his voice to hide his feelings. In two days more target practice was ended and the fleet once again anchored at its base under the protecting wing of Cape Cod. Phil’s new duties kept his mind from brooding over his troubles with Lazar and opened up to him a new side of ship life. All official papers now passed through his hands and the lad found himself in very intimate relations with his revered captain. It seemed to him, sometimes, that there were some of his shipmates who were less friendly. “It may be my imagination,” he thought. “I have not been entirely honest and my conscience feels guilty for concealing my secret.” In the midst of these thoughts, the wireless operator brought him a message, just received from the flag-ship. He glanced casually at the bit of pink paper, then his eyes opened wide with excitement as he read the words of the message. “Prepare your ship immediately for sea. Destination La Boca, Verazala, South America. Revolution in progress. Your confidential orders are being prepared and will be sent over directly.” Hastily entering the cabin, he placed the message in his chief’s hand. The captain read slowly, and then rang the bell for his orderly. “Show this to Mr. Penfield,” he said quietly. “Tell him to make all arrangements. We shall sail inside of four hours.” Phil marveled at the cool manner in which the captain had received these sudden orders. After forty years’ service, he would understand that such orders as these were too frequent in the course of a navy man’s life to cause more than passing surprise. Captain Taylor had received orders as suddenly to go around the world. Why should he show surprise at a small matter of a couple of thousand miles. Phil took an important part in the preparations for carrying out these sudden orders. Inside the allotted time all was ready. The written orders and instructions were sealed in the captain’s desk, ready to be opened and studied at leisure on the way south. While the “Connecticut” steamed past her seven mates, the marines and band were drawn up on each to salute her as she sailed by, officers and men waving good-byes to friends. Phil’s pulse beat faster.