Seeing that resistance was useless, and being assured of courteous treatment, the commandante gave in with a good grace, and, with the alcalde, was provided with accommodation in the captain's own apartments. This done, Captain Brookes took other steps to safeguard his interests. He seized the railway station and allowed no trains to leave the town, though he was unable to prevent them from coming in from the north. But he realised that it was impossible to completely cut off the town. Lota, a coaling centre, is barely twenty miles south of Talcahuano, and the means at the command of the captain of the _Olive Branch_ were insufficient to prevent people from going thither and telegraphing the news of the daring "hold-up "; yet he had gained a decided advantage, and in consequence no time was lost in refitting the _Olive Branch_ for sea. The damage done by the mine was not so great as was anticipated. Two of the three port propellers' shafts were bent, and all three propellers were hopelessly damaged. Fortunately a spare set was carried on board, so the only difficult task was to draw the shafting and straighten it in the Government workshops. On the evening of the second day the work was completed, and preparations were in progress for undocking the _Olive Branch_ at daybreak. "Do you know, Mr. Palmer, that your gallant exploit in clearing the mine-field was unnecessary?" asked Captain Brookes during dinner. "Unnecessary, sir?" exclaimed the astonished lieutenant. "How so, sir? Were they dummies?" "No, not dummies, but real live electro mechanical mines. But our Z-rays had, so the commandante informs me, thrown the firing-gear out of action. It's strange that I never thought of that, though had they been contact mines the danger would have remained. "And now, commandante," he continued, "I must make some slight amends for my conduct in detaining you. To-morrow, all being well, we must part company, but before so doing our paymaster will settle all accounts incurred ashore. Meanwhile, I ask you to accept this slight token in remembrance of the hurried visit of the _Olive Branch_." So saying he handed the Chilian officer a morocco case, with a bow that would have put a high-born Spanish grandee in the shade. Within the box was an English hunter, with a solid gold case, on which was the representation of an olive branch set in diamonds. This gift, so unexpected, so overwhelmed the commandante that it was some minutes before he could frame a suitable reply. To the alcalde Captain Brookes presented a jewelled scarf-pin, bearing a device similar to that of the watch, and it was evident by the expressions of gratitude of the two officials that they would have welcomed a similar visit every day in the week. In the midst of these courtesies there came a rude interruption. The officer of the watch rushed into the ward-room, his face pale with excitement.