into the bay, when the
lieutenant commanding her came on board the _Plantagenet_, with
despatches for Captain Hemming.

"It was thought possible that we might catch you here as we have had a
good deal of calm weather, and our wheels carry us along rather faster
than your sails under such circumstances," observed the lieutenant, who
knew that his tea-kettle was held in no great respect.

"Ah, yes, steam is useful for despatch-boats," answered the captain, in
a slightly sarcastic tone, as he opened the despatches.

He was to direct the _Plantagenet_ and _Tudor_ to proceed without delay
to Trinidad, and thence to go on to Jamaica, calling at the larger
Caribbean Islands, belonging to Great Britain, on their way. There was
an idea that the blacks were in an unsettled state of mind, and that the
appearance of a couple of men-of-war would tend to keep them in order.

Instantly the news became known there was a general bustle on board the
frigate. Washed clothes had to be got off and fresh provisions
obtained. She was to sail at daylight the next morning, and the _Tudor_
was to follow as soon as ready.

"What are we to do for our washed clothes?" exclaimed Higson. "Mother
Lobo wasn't to bring them on board till to-morrow evening, and if we
send to her the chances are she doesn't get the message or doesn't
understand it if she does."

"Sure, the best thing will be to go for them, then," exclaimed Gerald.
"Does any one know where she lives?"

"Well thought of, youngster," said Higson; "I know where she hangs out,
to the west of the town, beyond the old convent, some way up the hill,
but as I can't make her understand a word I say, even if I was to go
there, I should not much forward matters."

"But I can talk Portuguese like a native," exclaimed Norris, a
midshipman who had been on board a ship stationed at Lisbon for several
months, and who, professing to be a great linguist, was always ready to
act as interpreter. Whether he understood the replies of the natives or
not, he never failed to translate them. It was reported of him that
once having accompanied the first lieutenant on shore to get a new
topmast made, he asked the Portuguese carpenter at the dockyard,--"In
how many dayso will you make a new topmasto for mio fregato?"

"Nao intende," was the answer.

"`Not in ten days,' he says, sir," reported Norris to the lieutenant.

"Why, we can make one on board in less than half that time. Lazy
rascals, we w