But what do you tell me about this ship of force? What is her rate? How many guns does she carry? Where does she lie?’ ‘Cacafuego is her name.’ ‘Cacafuego? Cacafuego? I have never heard of her. So at least she cannot be a ship of the line. How is she rigged?’ Stephen paused. ‘I am ashamed to say I did not ask,’ he said. ‘But from the satisfaction with which her name was pronounced, I take her to be some prepotent great argosy.’

