English they will do all in their power for you. It is to Cochrane and the

English officers with him that they owe the overthrow and expulsion of

their Spanish tyrants, and they are vastly more grateful than either the

Chilians or Peruvians have shown themselves to be."

 

On returning to their lodgings Harry met his brother, who had been into

the city.

 

"Old Prosser was very civil," said Bertie. "He said that as their ships

were chiefly in the South American trade it would be a great advantage for

me to learn to speak Spanish well. They had not yet thought anything about

whether they should order another ship to replace the _Stella_; at any

rate, at present they had no vacancy, and would gladly give me permission

to travel in South America, and would find me a berth to finish my

apprenticeship when I returned. More than that, they said that as I had

always been so favourably reported upon they would put me on as a

supernumerary in the _Para_, which will sail in a fortnight for Callao. I

should not draw pay, but I should be in their service, and the time would

count, which would be a great pull, and I should get my passage for

nothing."

 

"That is capital. Of course I will take a passage in her too."

 

"And what does Mr. Barnett say?"

 

"Rather to my surprise, Bertie, he did not disapprove of the plan at all.

He thought it would be a good thing for me to have you with me in case of

illness or anything of that sort. Then no doubt he thought to some extent

it would keep you out of mischief."

 

"I don't believe he thought anything of the sort. Did he say so?"

 

"Well, no, he didn't; but I have no doubt he felt it in some way a sort of

relief."

 

"That is all very fine. I know, when I have been down to his place in the

country between voyages, I have always been as well behaved as if I had

been a model mid."

 

"Well, I have heard some tales of your doings, Bertie, that didn't seem

quite in accord with the character you give yourself."

 

"Oh, of course I had a few larks! You cannot expect a fellow who has been

away from England for a year to walk about as soberly as if he were a

Methodist parson!"

 

"No, I should not expect that, Bertie. But, on the other hand, I should

hardly have expected that he would, for example, risk breaking his neck by

climbing up to the top of the steeple and fastening a straw-hat on the