My coxswain—I called him the ’Comfort’ because he was such a nuisance to me—pulled my cap out of my hands and gave it me, seized my telescope from under my arm, rubbed the bright part up and down his sleeve, and handed it back, gave me two right-hand kid-gloves from the table, and I was ready to receive anybody, the Insurgent Provisional Government, or the Queen of Sheba, on my quarterdeck. A clumsy white boat, with a huge ensign, came wobbling off, very careful to keep us between her and the little cruiser. The crew were rowing atrociously, each man pulling the time that suited him best, and it occurred to me that perhaps the Provisional Government might possibly accept the services of the Comfort for their official barge. Then they were near enough for me to see that there was a white man there, among several dark-skinned people, under the stern awning—a white man with yellow hair and his right arm in a sling, my Sub’s brother, as sure as life. I looked round and saw Wilson himself, the colour of a sheet, trying to attract the boat’s attention, and looking piteously at me, ’Here! Hi! give me a megaphone—some one!’ I sung out. A dozen people fell over one another to get one, and I shouted through it, ’Lay on your oars,’ and when my Sub’s brother had made them stop, I sang out, ’Is that Gerald Wilson aboard?’ [Illustration: "IS THAT GERALD WILSON ABOARD?"] ’Yes,’ he shouted, putting his head out from under the awning. ’Then, for goodness’ sake, don’t come aboard my ship, or I’ll have to arrest you. I’ve got your warrant on board. You can come alongside, but don’t leave your boat.’ ’Thank you,’ he shouted; and it amused me to see my Sub’s face. I believe that he was even grateful enough to stop the mids. doing physical drill early in the morning over my head on the quarterdeck. The Provisional Government—for that it actually was—did manage to get alongside, and the first man to tramp up the ladder was the Vice-President—de Costa himself. I recognised him at once from having seen him in the cathedral at Santa Cruz. Poor chap, he had on a black frock-coat and beautifully brushed tall black hat—in that awful heat too. No wonder, if it was necessary, as head of the Provisional Government, to wear it, that he looked ten years older than when I saw him last.