"It must have been all for love, then; the signoritas have turned his head." "Jack Chase not to be found ?" cried a growling old sheet-anchor-man, one of your malicious prophets of past events: "I though so; I know'd it; I could have sworn it--just the chap to make sail on the sly.

I always s'pected him." Months passed away, and nothing was heard of Jack; till at last, the frigate came to anchor on the coast, alongside of a Peruvian sloop of war.
Bravely clad in the Peruvian uniform, and with a fine, mixed martial and naval step, a tall, striking figure of a long-bearded officer was descried, promenading the Quarter-deck of the stranger; and superintending the salutes, which are exchanged between national vessels on these occasions.
This fine officer touched his laced hat most courteously to our Captain, who, after returning the compliment, stared at him, rather impolitely, through his spy-glass.
"By Heaven!" he cried at last--"it is he--he can't disguise his walk--that's the beard; I'd know him in Cochin China .-- Man the first cutter there! Lieutenant Blink, go on board that sloop of war, and fetch me yon officer." All hands were aghast--What?
when a piping-hot peace was between the United States and Peru, to send an armed body on board a Peruvian sloop of war, and seize one of its officers, in broad daylight ?--Monstrous infraction of the Law of Nations! What would Vattel say?
But Captain Claret must be obeyed.

So off went the cutter, every man armed to the teeth, the lieutenant-commanding having secret instructions, and the midshipmen attending looking ominously wise, though, in truth, they could not tell what was coming.
Gaining the sloop of war, the lieutenant was received with the customary honours; but by this time the tall, bearded officer had disappeared from the Quarter-deck.

The Lieutenant now inquired for the Peruvian Captain; and being shown into the cabin, made known to him, that on board his vessel was a person belonging to the United States Ship Neversink; and his orders were, to have that person delivered up instanter.
The foreign captain curled his mustache in astonishment and indignation; he hinted something about beating to quarters, and chastising this piece of Yankee insolence.
But resting one gloved hand upon the table, and playing with his sword-knot, the Lieutenant, with a bland firmness, repeated his demand.
At last, the whole case being so plainly made out, and the person in question being so accurately described, even to a mole on his cheek, there remained nothing but immediate compliance.
So the fine-looking, bearded officer, who had so courteously doffed his chapeau to our Captain, but disappeared upon the arrival of the Lieutenant, was summoned into the cabin, before his superior, who addressed him thus:-- "Don John, this gentleman declares, that of right you belong to the frigate Neversink.

Is it so ?" "It is even so, Don Sereno," said Jack Chase, proudly folding his gold-laced coat-sleeves across his chest--"and as there is no resisting the frigate, I comply .-- Lieutenant Blink, I am ready.