It was remarked also that ever since they anchored, the captain had kept a lookout posted in the crow’s nest, with instructions to watch out for another vessel.

‘She’ll be a sloop, ship-rigged,’ he heard the next man to take the watch instructed.

‘What does “ship-rigged” mean?’ he enquired of Midshipman Mason as soon as he had an opportunity.

Mason laughed. ‘Don’t you ever get tired of asking questions? Ship-rigged means having three masts, all carrying square sails, as opposed to a bark, which has two main masts with square sails and a third mast with triangular sails set fore and aft. Why do you want to know?’

‘Oh, just something I heard the captain say.’

On the third day in port some official-looking men came out to the ship in a skiff and were ushered into the captain’s cabin. Sometime later they reappeared, one of them carrying a heavy object wrapped in sailcloth.

‘I’ll have this repaired for you as soon as possible, captain,’ the man in charge said. ‘Don’t worry. You’ll have your engines ready to get up steam in a couple of days.’

Funny, thought Gus, there didn’t seem to be anything wrong with the engines when we came into port.

Two more days dragged by, and then on the evening of the second the lookout in the crow’s nest called down, ‘Vessel fine on the port bow!’

All the officers gathered on the quarterdeck, with telescopes to their eyes. Gus, taking advantage of the fact that dinner time was approaching and the table had to be set in the wardroom, sidled closer.

‘Looks like her,’ Captain Ramsay said. ‘About time, too.’

‘What’s she up to?’ someone asked. ‘Why doesn’t she close with us?’

‘Not sure who we are, perhaps? It’s nearly dark. Perhaps she’s waiting for morning.’

When morning came it brought a sudden bustle of activity. The new ship had been sighted again and signals were exchanged, though knowing nothing of the meaning of the flags that were hoisted, Gus had no idea what was happening, and no one had time to explain. A boat was sent ashore and its return awaited with impatience. Meanwhile, the engineer was ordered to get up steam. When the boat returned, carrying papers of some sort, the anchor was weighed and the Laurel left the harbour. But they did not head for the open sea.

Followed by the strange ship, they set a course that took them along the shores of some smaller, apparently deserted, islands, until they entered a sheltered cove and dropped anchor again. The other ship followed them in and dropped anchor close by, and, for the first time, Gus had a chance to see her properly. Long and slender, it was obvious even to his untrained eye that she was built for speed. Her hull was painted black and on her stern was the name Sea King.