pleasant consequences to yourself, my Government would have hastened
to make you the most ample reparation on the instant of discovering that
wrong had been done you, as it will, now, if you insist--"

"Pray say no more," interrupted Jack. "I have not the slightest desire
to place either you, personally, or your Government in an embarrassing
position. If, therefore, you are fully satisfied that your information
respecting me and my yacht was wrong, I am quite willing to regard the
incident as closed, and to say nothing further about it. And in proof
of my friendly disposition, permit me to say that it will afford me very
great pleasure if you and your lieutenant will give me the pleasure of
your company at dinner to-night."

But Don Luis very courteously declined Jack's polite invitation, upon
the plea that he felt it to be his imperative duty to return forthwith
to Havana, to report to the authorities there the full and true
circumstances of the case, in order that Jack might be subjected to no
further annoyance from the unfortunate blunder that had somehow been
made. But no doubt the true explanation of his refusal was to be found
in the fact that his exceedingly sensitive pride was hurt by Jack's
innuendo, and by the fact that he had been placed in a false and
somewhat ridiculous position. It was bad enough to be made to appear
ridiculous in the eyes of one's own people; but to be humiliated before
one of those arrogant, overbearing Englishmen! Caramba! The two
Spaniards therefore took a most ceremonious leave of Jack and Milsom,
descended to their boat, and pulled back to their own ship, which
immediately started her engines and steamed away to the westward,
dipping her colours in salute as she went; while the _Thetis_ resumed
her course to the eastward in the direction of Calonna, off which she
arrived about an hour later. But the delay occasioned by the incident
of the yacht's encounter with the gunboat had been just sufficient to
prevent the arrival of the _Thetis_ until after the last train of the
day had left Calonna for Pinar del Rio. Don Hermoso therefore decided
to remain on board the yacht all night, and to leave her in time to take
the first train on the following morning.

Naturally enough, the chief topic of conversation at the dinner-table,
that night, was the encounter with the gunboat, and the clever manner in
which the Spaniards had been "bluffed", Don Hermoso maintaining that it
was entir