ng brought in a large French merchantman with a valuable cargo,
which he had been lucky enough to fall in with and capture. This
mention of Courtenay afforded me a very good opportunity to ask if
anything further had been seen or heard of Merlani and his schooner; in
reply to which the admiral assured me that, though my gallant young
shipmate had most assiduously sought the pirate, nothing further had
been seen of him; and it was thought that, disheartened by the
destruction of his stronghold, he had left that part of the world
altogether.

During the course of the evening the admiral informed me that my return
had happened most opportunely, and inquired of me how long it would be
before I could sail again, as he wished me to proceed to sea with all
possible despatch on an important mission. I replied that if the cruise
was to be only a short one, say of a fortnight or so, I could go to sea
again next morning; but if it was likely to be protracted beyond that
date I should wish to replenish my stock of provisions and water before
leaving port. Upon that he ordered me to haul in alongside the dockyard
wharf next morning, and if my rigging needed overhauling to see to it at
once, as he should endeavour to get me off again in three days at the
latest.

My father and I slept at the Penn that night; and next morning, on my
way down to the schooner, I established him in comfortable quarters,
recommended by the admiral, on the southernmost spur of Long Mountain,
where, in addition to a pure and healthy atmosphere, he would have the
advantage of a magnificent view of the harbour and sea to the southward,
as well as a long range of superb tropical landscape, upon which to
exercise the powers of his brush during my absence.

In the course of the morning, after the _Dolphin_ had been hauled in
alongside the wharf and Fidd had set all hands to work overhauling the
rigging, I learned from the admiral that it was his intention to send me
down on the Venezuelan coast to cruise, in conjunction with my former
acquaintance the _Dido_, on the lookout for a Spanish treasure-ship
which, it was rumoured, was about to sail from Cartagena with important
despatches. Of such consequence was the capture of this ship considered
that I was frankly told a couple of frigates would have been sent to
look after her, had such been available; unfortunately, however, there
were none in harbour when the intelligence had been received, four days
befo