re was no sign of the _Union_, and a week
after leaving Valparaiso the _Angamos_ dropped her anchor off Punta
Arenas, and Jim went ashore to interview the governor of that port, in
the forlorn hope that he might have seen the Peruvian pass, or have
heard something of her whereabouts.

Then Douglas received a surprise which he little expected. He found
Senor Morales, the Governor, in a state of great perturbation. That
worthy man had a body of only forty men under his command to garrison
the place; and he gave Jim the astonishing news that the _Union_, with
brazen effrontery, had called in at Punta Arenas that very morning, and
that her skipper, taking an armed force ashore with him, had seized
Morales, and placed the town under contribution for a supply of coal and
a quantity of provisions which he needed.

There was no resisting him, averred the unhappy governor, for the
Peruvians numbered quite eighty men and were all fully armed, while the
corvette's guns were trained on the town, so that, in the event of
resistance being offered, she could have brought the place about their
ears.

To make a long story short, said the governor, the _Union_ had coaled
and taken in a supply of provisions--neither of which had been paid for,
by the way--and had steamed off down the Straits to the eastward not
three hours before the Chilian cruiser had hove in sight. He was quite
sure that _el Senor Capitan_ would catch the scoundrel if he sailed at
once. And, moreover, the _carnicero_ had had the audacity to boast that
he was going to convoy two cargoes of arms, which were coming from
Europe, back to Peru; that he should return through the Straits; and
that he should knock the town to pieces as he went past, as payment for
the articles that he had received.

Jim ground his teeth with anger upon hearing the recital of this
insolence, and he vowed that, could he but find the _Union_, he would
make Captain Villavicencio eat his words. But unfortunately the
_Angamos_ was herself short of coal and fresh water, and several hours--
very precious hours--were spent in getting these necessaries on board;
so that it was already dark before Douglas finally got away, having
promised the Governor that he would do all in his power to prevent the
Peruvian from carrying out his threat. But the _Union_ was by this time
a good many miles ahead, and the navigation of the tortuous and
intricate channel, with its furious currents, was not a thing t