ego smiled knowingly.

"You see, I've got an aunt, and she lives at Regla," he said. "She's a
good old woman, but very poor. We can sleep in her house, though, till
we find something to do."

Lee did not promise, although Diego returned to the subject several
times. But on the morning that the vessel entered Havana the captain
gave him a violent blow with his fist, because he was not quick enough
in bringing him his spyglass from the cabin, and this determined Lee
finally, and he went forward and told Diego he was ready to go at the
first chance.

"All right," replied the Cuban; "I'll keep my eyes open and mouth shut."

It was a lovely morning as Lee stood forward and entered the first
foreign port in which he had ever been, glancing up at the frowning
Morro Castle at the entrance, close to which all vessels must pass, and
seeing the great guns pointing at them from the embrasures in the old
walls, the quaint turrets or sentry-boxes, painted in red and yellow,
with the sentinels pacing up and down, with polished muskets and
bayonets, and dressed in uniforms of white linen.

Then opened the view of the great harbor within, filled with shipping,
and the town beyond, with houses having no chimneys and painted in white
and red, and green and pink, with nodding palms and other tropical
foliage growing--all strange enough to a lad who had been all his life
north of Cape Cod.

When they had been boarded by the health officer and the custom house
officials, the Traveler came to anchor, and for a time all were busy in
furling sails and cleaning up the decks, while the captain took a boat
and went off to see his consignees.

All day they lay quiet, as the captain did not return and there were no
orders to begin to discharge, but toward evening a bumboat came off,
with fresh bread, fruits and other things to sell to the crew.

In the bumboat was a boy of about Diego's age, whom he recognized as an
old acquaintance and playmate, and who seemed very much surprised at
seeing him on board the American vessel.

Diego went down and had a whispered talk with him, which resulted in his
beckoning to Lee to come down. The second-mate was in charge of the
deck, and if he saw them go he took no notice.

Lee had no clothes to take, as he had only two shirts--one flannel and
one woven undershirt, which he had up to this time worn in turn, while
he washed the other--and both were becoming well worn out.

In view of a chance of runni