, because Burgess means right, and he's such a splendid
seaman."

"Means right!" cried Fitz angrily. "Is it right to abuse a prisoner
behind his back when he's not in a position to defend himself?"

"Yes, it was too bad," said Poole sympathetically.

"What did he say?"

"Oh, you had better not know," replied Poole, winking to himself.

"I insist upon your telling me."

"Oh, well, if you will have it--only don't blame me afterwards for
letting it out."

"What did he say?" repeated the boy.

"It was while he had got a very bad fit of the shivers on, and the poor
fellow's teeth were all of a chatter with the fever."

"I think your teeth seem to be all of a chatter," snarled the midshipman
fiercely.

"Ha, ha! You are a wonderful deal better, Queen's man," cried Poole
merrily.

"Have you come down here like the rest to insult and trample on me?"
cried Fitz, springing to his feet.

"Ah, now you are getting yourself again."

"I insist upon your telling me what that man Burgess said."

"What he said? Well, he said you were a plucked 'un and no mistake."

"Bah!" ejaculated Fitz, and there was silence for a few moments, during
which Poole thrust his head out of the cabin-window to give his
companion time to calm down.

"Yes," said the lad, looking round. "Clouds are gathering in the west,
and we are going to have a grand show of such colours as I never saw
anywhere else. Come on up, there's a good chap."

Fitz remained silent, and the skipper's son winked to himself.

"Where's Mr Burgess now?" said Fitz at last.

"He's in his cabin, writing home to his wife. You would never think how
particular such a gruff old fellow as he is about writing home. Writes
a long letter every week as regular as clockwork. Doesn't seem like a
pirate, does it?"

"Is your father on deck?"

"No. He's in his cabin, busy over the chart. We are getting pretty
close to the port now."

"Ah!" cried Fitz eagerly. "What port are we making for?"

"San Cristobal."

"Where's that?"

"In the Armado Republic, Central America."

"Oh," said Fitz. "I never heard of it before. Is there a British
Consul there?"

"Oh, I don't know. There generally is one everywhere. I think there
used to be before Don Villarayo upset the Government and got himself
made President."

"And is it to him that you are taking out field-guns and ammunition?"

"I never said we were taking out field-guns and ammunition," said Poole
innocently.