“Here, I don’t see any shot striking up the water, father,” cried Poole.
“No; I tell you what it is,” cried Fitz. “They are glad to see us back. They are firing a salute.”
Fitz was right, and before long a barge was coming off, with the national colours trailing behind, Don Ramon being made out seated in the stern-sheets in uniform, and surrounded by his officers. He looked ceremonious and grand enough in his State barge, but there was no ceremony in his acts. He sprang up the side as soon as the coxswain hooked on, and embraced the skipper with the tears in his eyes, the two lads having to suffer the same greeting in turn, so as not to hurt the feelings of one whose warmth was very genuine.
“Oh, my friend the captain,” he cried, “I have been wasting tears on your behalf. You did not come back, and the news was brought by three different fishing-boats that the enemy had driven you ashore and wrecked and burned your beautiful schooner, while there had been a desperate fight, they said, and they had heard the firing, so that I could only guess what must have been the result. I believed my brave true friend and all on board had been slain, while now I have you all safely back again, and my heart is very glad.”
“And so am I, Don Ramon,” said the skipper warmly, for he felt how genuine the greeting was. “But things are much better than you thought.”
“Yes, better far,” cried the Don. “But make haste. Let us get ashore. My people are getting up a banquet in your honour and that of every one on board.”
“Oh, I’m not a banqueting man,” said the skipper, laughing.
“Ha, ha! We shall see,” said the Don, laughing in his turn. “How came they, though, to tell me such false news? I believed the men who brought it could be trusted.”
“Well, I dare say they can be,” said the skipper. “But they didn’t stay long enough. We had almost to run ashore, and there were two or three fights; that was true enough. But if they had stayed long enough they could have brought you the best news that you have had for months.”
“Best news!” cried the Don excitedly.