Although it was forbidden that he should hold any converse with the prisoner, he freed his mind by telling us in a tone sufficiently loud to be heard by the Britisher, what he would do, regardless of rules, in case "that chimpanzee in the cage" had anything more to say against the Yankees. "I've heard too much talk from him already," the old man continued, "an' the next time he so much as peeps while I'm around, I shall go straight aft an' ask permission to give him a dozen flicks with the cat, laid on by myself, which will be all he'll need by way of puttin' a stopper on his tongue." From that moment until we were done with him forever, Benson never so much as snored while Master Hackett was near at hand. On the 3d day of February we knew the frigate had come to an anchor, and shortly afterward the old sailor appeared to give us the news. "Yes, we're in Valparaiso again, an' now we're salutin' the fort." We could both hear and feel the report of the guns as they were discharged, and already knew as much as the old man was telling us. "The captain will go ashore to chin with the governor accordin' to the rules an' regulations of the navy, an' after that the old chap will visit us." "But what of a change of heart, Master Hackett?" I asked with a laugh. "I thought you counted on our getting a different reception from what we met with last." "All this visitin' an' firin' salutes don't cut any ice. It's a way these 'ere swells have, no matter how they're feelin'. That puffed up old governor might come aboard of us a dozen times, hobnobbin' with the officers, an' yet be jest as willin' to cut our throats. Wait till the _Phoebe_ heaves in sight, an' then we'll have a fairly good idee of whether they're friendly or not." "Are we lying at our old anchorage?" Phil asked. "Not a bit of it, my lad. We're well out in the bay, where we can get under way in a jiffy, an' the _Essex Junior_ is cruisin' around outside, so's to give us warnin' when the Britisher heaves in sight." "Then the captain is expecting a fight?" "Expectin' it, lad? Why, he knows it's got to come! The only thing we're in the dark about is how soon the Britisher will show up." Phil and I took turns going on deck during this and the following day, and I was on the forecastle twenty-four hours after our arrival, when the governor, his wife, and a boat-load of officers, came off to pay a ceremonious visit. It was near sunset when Master Hackett visited us again, and this time he had quite a budget of news to unfold. In view of the fact that the enemy might appear at any moment, shore leave was forbidden the crew, and only three of the officers had been allowed to land since they made their calls upon the governor; but these last visits were enough to show that Master Hackett's predictions were verified.