We slipped from our buoys at four o’clock and went to sea, passing quite close to the Patagonians, but there were no Chinese to be seen, and men were very busy on the two disabled ones, and the pumps on the one with the list to port were going for alt they were worth. Of course we were all excited, the men especially, for we’d become so suspicious of Chinamen, that when everyone knew that there were some aboard these destroyers, we felt sure there must be something wrong about them. "Why, Patagonia doesn’t possess a single ship!" said Hammond, another of our Assistant Engineers, a jolly little fellow, who is a walking _Brassey’s Naval Annual_, and knows every man-of-war in the world by name, and what guns she has, and all that. "Rather odd these three being there, and having Chinamen on board." Then a rumour spread that the skipper had been heard to say to the Doctor; "If they _are_, they won’t give us much trouble, for two of them seem badly broken down". It was the detestable Dumpling who brought the news. "What did the Doctor say then?" we asked. "’Whatever they are, they’ve stopped me going ashore, hang them! Everyone seems to have Chinese, pirates, dynamite, and Patagonia on the brain,’" said Dumpling, imitating the Doctor’s irritable way of talking. We all laughed. "Just like the old Doc," said Mellins. "I had to go for’ard to the sick bay this morning with stomach-ache, and he made me take some beastly castor-oil on the spot. I hate the stuff," and he grinned and said: "That’s for kicking up that wretched row last night down in the gun-room. Kept me awake till midnight." "The selfish old brute," we all agreed; "he doesn’t care what happens, so long as he makes himself comfortable." We were so excited about these destroyers, that I fancy most of us imagined we should see them suddenly tearing after us. Whatever the Skipper thought, he was at any rate not going to be caught napping, and directly it was dark we altered course till we were twenty miles north of the usual track, and not a single light was allowed to be shown. I had to go round all the starboard cabins and see that the dead-lights were down, and in the middle watch, which I kept aft on the quarter-deck, I was responsible that they were kept closed. Funnily enough, Mr. Hopkins wouldn’t seem to understand that he mustn’t show a light, and twice I saw his scuttle lighted up during the night. I was afraid the Skipper might come on deck and see it and drop on him, so went down into his cabin. He seemed very bad-tempered, couldn’t go to sleep on account of the heat, and must have his scuttle open to get fresh air, and his light burning to try to read himself to sleep. At last I told him straight that I should report him to the lieutenant on watch, and he then seemed to understand it really was necessary. Nothing happened in the night, nothing indeed till we reached Port Said, where, right in front of us, were the three Patagonians coaling again!