I know that I myself hoped that if it did come to a ’scrap,’ old Ginger Hood would be there to share the fun. Cousin Bob must tell you what did actually happen. *CHAPTER XIV* _*La Buena Presidente*_* fights* _Written by Midshipman Bob Temple_ After we had had that ripping lark with those two 4.7’s on shore, the insurgent President sent off a great basket of fruit—oranges, grape-fruit, melons, and bananas—every day whilst we remained off San Fernando, so we were jolly sorry to get up anchor and steam down to El Castellar. Of course we were very sorry for Cousin Gerald’s sake that we had to collar _La Buena Presidente_, but thought it would be splendid fun if she showed fight, and we all hoped that she’d come our way and not give those beastly _Hercules’_ mids. a chance. Then we heard what Cousin Gerald had told Billums about her Captain being such a fine chap, and Raynor, the Engineer Sub, told us so much about her, her armour and her big guns, that though we didn’t get exactly frightened, we rather felt that we’d like the _Hercules’_ mids. to chip in with us after all. A lot of our chaps thought that she’d simply haul down her flag directly we signalled to her to do so, but Mr. Bostock the Gunner shook his head. He’d seen a revolution out in these parts, years and years ago, and said we were wrong: ’She’ll not ’aul her flag down whilst she’s got men to fight the guns and shovel coal in the bunkers.’ He told us the story of the fight between the _Shah_ and the _Huascar_, which was just about the same kind of show. There had been a revolution and the _Huascar_ had joined the insurgents down the coast. She ran short of coal, and not being able to buy any, took it by force out of an English steamer, so the _Shah_—she was our flagship out there then—was sent after her and they had a stand-up fight. The _Shah_ was a wooden ship with thin armour-plates along the side, and the _Huascar_ was an iron one with turrets and very thick armour, so the English ship found herself up against too big a mouthful and got the worst of it.