s morning's coach, as
he knew that you were anxious to see me."

"He didn't tell you what for, Stephen?"

"No, sir. He said that he thought that you would prefer to tell me
yourself."

"Well, Stephen, I have been anxious for you to get home, for I had a
letter from Lord Cochrane about three weeks ago. He told me that he had
not forgotten the promise he had made me, to give you a berth if he ever
had a chance. He said that the opportunity had come now, for that he had
been offered the command of the Chilian navy, and should be shortly
starting--as soon, in fact, as he could make his arrangements and get his
house off his hands. He said that he thought it would be five or six weeks
before he was able to sail, and that he would take you out with him as his
flag-midshipman. Of course I wrote to him at once, saying where you were,
and that you might be home any day, but that, on the other hand, you might
not be back for two or three months. However, if you arrived in time I was
sure that you would be delighted at the chance of serving under him; still
I said that of course I could not ask him to keep the berth open for you.
Well, he wrote in reply that he would, at any rate, give me a month, but
if at the end of that time I had not heard of you, he must appoint some
one else; for, as he said, 'I know nothing of the Chilian language, and of
course I shall want some one to blow up in English.'"

Stephen laughed. "That would be splendid, father. I have been very happy
on board the _Tiger_, and certainly should not like to leave her to sail
on any other trading ship. No one could be kinder than the captain and the
mates have been. But of course I should like awfully to serve with Lord
Cochrane, especially as I have heard so much of him from you. But why have
the Chilians appointed a foreigner to command their fleet? Are they
fighting with anyone?"

"They are fighting the Spanish, Stephen. They have gone into the war to
aid Peru, or rather to free Peru from her oppressors. The Chilians have
only just started a navy of their own, and it is altogether outnumbered by
the Spanish; but they wisely think that with such a man as Cochrane, who
is a host in himself, who has won against much greater odds, they will be
able to hold their own, and I have no doubt you will have a stirring time.
I only wish that I had been able to go with him. He was good enough to say
so in his letter to me. That is unfortunately out of the question.
How