Mr. Midshipman Glover, R.N.

it of the

We Overhaul Her-We Have to

Glover's Narr

sea, and hoisted the "permission to weigh and proceed in pursuance of previous orders", "N

b spelt it out; "I only hope those fellows read and swallow it, f

bour till out of sight of land, as if we were going to meet the squadron, then w

altogether. I had to do my share of watch-keeping during the day, and soon learnt to handle "No. 3" as easily as a ship's steam-boat. You can imagine we grew excited as we began to approach Colombo. Whether we

are any number of places she can hide in and coal bet

this rate we shall get in to-morrow evening with eighteen tons of c

course, and did not have anything to say-but they finally

t we have no coal left and may 'clear out', imagining that we can't chase them. That would be certainly their most reasonable plan, wouldn't it? That's what I should d

engines whizzing round. The plates began dancing about the table, and my coffee was nearly all spilt before I could drink it. I stuffed down the last two sardines in one mouthful and rushed

o unsteady. "The signalman says she is," said Mr. Parker, with his eye glued to his telescope. "Yes, there she goes! Look a

running almost at right angles to us till she cleared the breakwater and the rocks. We were drawing rapidly together when she put her helm over. We

e behind the chart table. "Go to quarters, Collins (the Sub), and pass up ammunition." The Gunner and Mr

room voice tube, "How much

fourte

l that last a

hour and a half," c

ery ounce of ste

eached our highest speed, and she was evidently doing all she knew. She was almost hidden under a great cloud of smoke, and occasionally entire

humming round like sewing machines, the ship began to throb and vibrate with a funny wriggle which you could almost see when you looked aft along the deck from the bridge. It was just as much as I could do to hang on to the bridge rails with one hand and keep my cap on with the other, whilst the spray

et fever people when they peel, great roaring flames licked out of them, and clouds of smoke went

ng. Mr. Parker kept on anxiously looking at his watch as we rushed along-now leaving

ions as she did on her trials," he shouted; "her engines won't take any more steam, I'

, for he had already bent the proper flags and pendants to the halyards and quickly hoisted them, the bunting stiffening in the wind like pa

out a few men on her bridge looking at us from time to time-and judging from the great masses of smoke w

ee-mile limit, I think, Co

r-ten mi

nes (the 'No. 1' of the 12-pounder). Go as c

pitch-the muzzle of the gun never seemed still, and it seemed ages before Jones fired. There was a beastly sharp crack, the cordite smoke

this," Collins said angrily; "we're d

not the slightest effect had either-still no ans

very bunker. Mr. Parker groaned, "She'll get away, and I can't even get back to Col

the Gunner singing out, "Target, right ahead,

and great pieces of it flew into the air. Didn't we cheer, for at this they had evidently had enough of it, and clouds of steam came roaring out of their funnels as they stopped their engines. We were going so fast that we were almost on top of them before Collins jumped for the telegraph, and put the engines full speed astern

her," sung out Mr. Parker, "and s

ross the fifty yards that separated us. I had to follow him with six men

ffy". "You first, sir," said the coxswain, and shoved me up the

rid little officer who was gestic

ders, and kick everyone else out of it," he ordered, so up we climbed and kick

there for ages, and I was wondering whether I had not better send some of my men down after him, but could not disobe

in "No. 3" saw them and raised a great cheer; indeed, it was splendid to have rescued them, and s

't there to see that little man stamp and fume and curse, whilst Mr. Parker looked on perfectly unconcernedly, and my six men kept their rifles at the present. I made 'em do this-I thought it would look better. When all the Chinese had gone, Mr. Chapman and his stokers came a

in her, but the leading seaman I had with me said, "Why, bless your 'eart, sir, them devils is all d

t on his No. 1 frock coat and apologize very humbly for his "unwarrantable and high-handed proceeding". The fact was, you see, that the little man, who had been an officer in the Mexican navy, really had all his papers in order, and no doubt had a commission from the Patagonian Gov

dventures, and how he had

ressed as English blue-jackets, and flying the Yellow Dragon, had come alongside for him. Without the least suspicio

gs must have been; and he said the food was awful, although they gave him whatever they could. "How that destroyer did stink o

a mighty smart trick way back at Malta, and was mighty inquisitive to see 'the cut of their jibs'. Ain't been looking at 'em time enough to see a cat

on deck like a bag of spuds." Mighty pleased they both were to be rescued, and Mr. Hopkins kept on smacking his thigh and roaring with laughter. "My snakes

k we had," answered

arker came on deck after he had deciphered it, with a very grave face, and said: "Mr. Hopkins, I am ordered by Captain Helston to i

yed immediately, leaving us on deck wondering why Captain Helston had been so

eeping our eyes on the Patagonian, and w

e Grand Oriental Hotel in the cool of the evening, wit

Mr. Staunton and Mr. Hopkins were sent over to the Laird. The latter was certain t

g a big cake his mater had sent out by the mail. We had a tremendous chin wag, and it was jolly to meet

er 6-pounder gun platform, with the awning over our heads, and the big scavenger-birds

close to us, and the passengers all came to the side and cheered us, so we midshipmen gav

to patrol the mouth of the harbour after sunse