s being
hove up by means of the steam windlass, prior to the vessel proceeding
to sea again. Don Hermoso had been congratulating himself and everybody
else upon the ease and complete success with which the yacht's primary
mission had been accomplished, and had also expressed himself very
nicely as to the magnitude of his obligation to Jack and Milsom for the
invaluable assistance which they had rendered, without which, the Don
declared, the adventure could never have been brought to a successful
issue. "And now, my dear Jack," he continued, "I have two further
favours to ask you. The first is that you will have the goodness to
land Carlos and myself as soon as may be at Calonna--which is about
twenty-two miles to the eastward of this--in order that we may take the
train thence to Pinar del Rio, in time, perhaps, to reach home to-night;
and the second is, that you will favour us with your company for as long
a time as you may be disposed to stay. Then, having landed us, Captain
Milsom can take the yacht round to Havana, when, if the island proves to
be sufficiently quiet to allow of the vessel being left in Perkins's
charge, we shall feel happy if he also"--with a bow to Milsom--"will
honour our poor house with his presence for a time, until, indeed, the
yacht is again required for service."

Jack accepted the invitation promptly and unhesitatingly: Carlos and he
were old chums, and indeed almost like brothers; while as for Don
Hermoso, Jack had seen enough of him during the voyage out to have
contracted for him a feeling of the highest regard and esteem. He knew
that the invitation was as earnest and cordial as words could make it;
and the conversations that had been engaged in from time to time on
board the yacht had caused him to become profoundly interested in Cuba,
and filled him with an intense desire to see the island, and, if
possible, be an eye-witness of its struggle for liberty. Milsom, on the
other hand, while perhaps as keen as Jack to see all that there was to
be seen, was, above and before all things else, a sailor; his acceptance
of Don Hermoso's invitation, therefore, was qualified by sundry
conditions, every one of which had reference to the question of the
safety of the yacht.

By the time that the conversation had reached this point the anchor was
a-trip, and Milsom went to the engine-room telegraph, while the
quartermaster climbed up to the bridge and stationed himself at the
wheel. Velasque