I hope you
won't grow to think so."
"Opeki is all very well," said Gordon, "or it will be when we
get things going our way."
As they walked back to the office, Albert noticed a brass
cannon, perched on a rock at the entrance to the harbor. This
had been put there by the last consul, but it had not been
fired for many years. Albert immediately ordered the two
Bradleys to get it in order, and to rig up a flag-pole beside
it, for one of his American flags, which they were to salute
every night when they lowered it at sundown.
"And when we are not using it," he said, "the King can borrow
it to celebrate with, if he doesn't impose on us too often.
The royal salute ought to be twenty-one guns, I think; but
that would use up too much powder, so he will have to content
himself with two."
"Did you notice," asked Stedman, that night, as they sat on
the veranda of the consul's house, in the moonlight, "how the
people bowed to us as we passed?"
"Yes," Albert said he had noticed it. "Why?"
"Well, they never saluted me," replied Stedman. "That sign of
respect is due to the show we made at the reception.
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