ng bays with graceful curves, and dim there in the
distance the crags of Sungay, while in the background rose Makiling,
imposing and majestic, crowned with fleecy clouds. On the left lay
Talim Island with its curious sweep of hills. A fresh breeze rippled
over the wide plain of water.

"By the way, captain," said Ben-Zayb, turning around, "do you know
in what part of the lake a certain Guevara, Navarra, or Ibarra,
was killed?"

The group looked toward the captain, with the exception of Simoun, who
had turned away his head as though to look for something on the shore.

"Ah, yes!" exclaimed Dona Victorina. "Where, captain? Did he leave
any tracks in the water?"

The good captain winked several times, an indication that he was
annoyed, but reading the request in the eyes of all, took a few steps
toward the bow and scanned the shore.

"Look over there," he said in a scarcely audible voice, after making
sure that no strangers were near. "According to the officer who
conducted the pursuit, Ibarra, upon finding himself surrounded, jumped
out of his banka there near the Kinabutasan [11] and, swimming under
water, covered all that distance of more than two miles, saluted by
bullets every time that he raised his head to breathe. Over yonder is
where they lost track of him, and a little farther on near the shore
they discovered something like the color of blood. And now I think
of it, it's just thirteen years, day for day, since this happened."

"So that his corpse--" began Ben-Zayb.

"Went to join his father's," replied Padre Sibyla. "Wasn't he also
another filibuster, Padre Salvi?"

"That's what might be called cheap funerals, Padre Camorra,
eh?" remarked Ben-Zayb.

"I've always said that those who won't pay for expensive funerals
are filibusters," rejoined the person addressed, with a merry laugh.

"But what's the matter with you, Senor Simoun?" inquired Ben-Zayb,
seeing that the jeweler was motionless and thoughtful. "Are you
seasick--an old traveler like you? On such a drop of water as this!"

"I want to tell you," broke in the captain, who had come to hold all
those places in great affection, "that you can't call this a drop
of water. It's larger than any lake in Switzerland and all those in
Spain put together. I've seen old sailors who got seasick here."

CHAPTER IV

CABESANG TALES

Those who have read the first part of this story will perhaps remember
an old wood-cutter who lived in the depths o