That is the way I managed. I did not swear or abuse them, but if I found anyone slow I pulled out the admiral's order and said that the work must be done faster. "Impossible, sir!" answered another official to one of my demands; "it cannot be done. In two or three days we may get the matter settled for you." "Impossible! In two or three days do you say?" I exclaimed, looking fixedly at him. "In two or three hours you mean. Impossible,--I don't understand that word, nor does Sir Peter, depend on that. If the things are not on board in three hours I shall report you. I don't want to be severe, my friend, but I am in earnest." The gentleman understood me, and within the time specified the stores were on board. In spite of all I could do, however, I could only get a mainsail, foresail, fore-staysail, and jib. I had no topsails and no square sail. Thus, should I be chased by an enemy, I should be, I felt, like a bird with clipped wings, I should have very little chance of escaping. I got some of the weeds scraped off the vessel's bottom, but still there were more than enough remaining. Such good speed did I make, that before three o'clock in the afternoon of that very day I was ready for sea, or, rather, I was in such a condition that I could put to sea, though the urgent necessity of the case alone warranted me in so doing. "Well, sir," observed Grampus, with the familiarity of an old shipmate, "if we comes to meet with Harry Cane in our cruise, it's like enough that we shall be nowhere." Just before we got under weigh, Captain Lambert, of his Majesty's ship Niger, came on board. He shrugged his shoulders when he saw the condition I was in. "The admiral ordered me to get to sea as fast as I could," I remarked; "I'm doing my best to obey him." "That you are, Mr Hurry," he answered. "You've done very well--very well indeed, I say. I wish you to keep a look-out for me off Saint Domingo, and bring me any information you may have picked up. I am under orders to sail to-morrow morning to cruise off that island with my own ship, and with the `Bristol' and `Lowestoffe,' and I shall have my tender with me. You will know the squadron by one of the three ships having a poop, and from our being accompanied by a schooner. Now good luck to you. I will not detain you." "Thank you, sir," said I; "depend on it I will not disappoint you."