“I have not, but he will see me, nevertheless, when he knows that I am here.”
On looking round while the man hesitated, Stephen saw the admiral speaking to an officer in captain’s uniform. The petty officer, after some hesitation, went up to the officer on watch, who at once came over to Stephen.
“You want to speak to the admiral?”
“I do, lieutenant. I see him yonder, and if you will be good enough to inform him that Lieutenant Embleton is here and ready to report himself for duty, you will find that he will not mind being disturbed.”
The officer looked at him doubtfully. “You have neither the appearance of an Englishman nor of a lieutenant,” he said.
“That may be, sir, but it does not alter the fact.”
At this moment the captain left the admiral’s side and walked forward.
“What is it, Lieutenant Romoro?” he asked as he passed them.
“This gentleman,” and he hesitated over the word, “says that he is Lieutenant Embleton, and desires to speak to the admiral.”
“Lieutenant Embleton!” the captain repeated in English; “not the admiral’s flag-lieutenant in Chili, surely? If so, Lord Cochrane will be delighted to see you; he has spoken of you to me several times. He believed you to be dead, and but yesterday he was saying how he missed your services.”