You may bet that I was glad to see Gerald, and to know that, although he still kept it in a sling, his arm was practically well again. I had a long yarn with him in that boat alongside, and told him my suspicions about the so-called hydraulic machinery we had brought across from Princes’ Town. He knew that two 4.7’s on field-carriages, four field-guns, and two pompoms, with plenty of ammunition, had been waiting there for weeks, so I pretty well guessed that they weren’t very far away now, and implored him to send lighters off for them as quickly as he could, before any one else gave the show away. He had to wait for the Provisional Government, but could not have wasted a moment after he did land, for hardly had the Skipper and the Fleet Surgeon gone ashore than lighters came hurrying off, and I had the job of hoisting all those packing-cases into them, my heart in my mouth all the time lest anything should happen. Careful! Why, I lowered them down as if they were new-laid eggs or valuable china. ’What the Moses d’you mean by taking such a confounded time?’ the Commander bellowed, and stood by my side yelling down orders to hurry. Thank goodness, O’Leary was in charge of the working party, and wouldn’t be hurried for any one, although the Commander kept on shouting that he was a disgrace to his uniform, and that he’d disrate him to ordinary seaman. Didn’t I feel relieved when the last little lot had shoved off from the ship and was on its way ashore, the Santa Cruz cruiser taking no notice whatever. She didn’t seem to suspect anything, got up her anchor, and steamed down towards El Castellan. When we received that wireless message from the _Hercules_, nobody had the slightest idea that _La Buena Presidente_ had actually been collared by the insurgents, so you can imagine how happy I felt when the Skipper came off and told me. He was as pleased as I was. ’Fine chap, your brother! The Provisional Government isn’t in the running with him. He’s the boss.’ He told me, too, that Gerald wanted me to ride out to the front with him that very night, gave me forty-eight hours’ leave, and, fearfully excited, I dashed below. Bigge, Montague, Perkins, the Forlorn Hope and the Shadow, Dr. Clegg—nearly every one, in fact—came along to have a word with me, whilst I tumbled into riding breeches, flannel shirt, and jacket—they would all have given anything to be going too. The Angel and Bob filled my ’baccy’ pouch, and I stuffed some sandwiches into a haversack; the Angel lent me his panama hat, and then I jumped into the skiff, and was just shoving off when O’Leary came running down the ladder. ’The petty officers, sir, are going to ask leave to-morrow, sir. I’m thinking that that ’ere ’ydraulic machinery kind of wants a little putting together, sir.’ ’What the dickens d’you mean by delaying my skiff? Shove off in that boat or you can swim ashore,’ the Commander bellowed at me, from the top of the ladder, as a parting shot.