penal offence. It did no end of good in the village, gave them something
to talk about, and woke them up wonderfully."

"And there were other things too, I think," his brother went on.

"Oh, well, you need not go into them now! they are an old story. Besides,
I fancy I have heard of various tricks played by Mr. Midshipman Harry
Prendergast, and, as I heard them from your lips, I cannot doubt but that
they were strictly veracious. Well, this is jolly now. When are we going
to begin to get our outfit?"

"We will lose no time about that. But really there is not much to get--a
couple of good rifles and two brace of pistols, with a good store of
ammunition, those clothes you have just bought, and two or three suits of
duck for the voyage. I shan't get any special kit until we arrive there,
and can take the advice of people at Lima whether we had better travel in
European clothes or in those worn by the Peruvians. Of course saddles and
bridles and all that sort of thing we can buy there, and we shall want a
small tent to use when we get into out-of-the-way places. I shall take
three hundred pounds in gold. I have no doubt we can exchange it into
silver profitably; besides, it is much more handy for carrying about. I
shall go down this afternoon and see Prosser and secure a berth."

"I think you will have to arrange that with the captain. Very few of our
ships have accommodation for passengers, but the captains are allowed to
take one or two if they like."

"All right! At any rate I must go to the office first. They can refer me
to the skipper if they like; that would be better than my going to him
direct."