t, indeed!' replied I.

"'Well, after dinner, we'll give you time to tell your girl all about
it, and to kiss her once or twice; but you must bear a hand about it,
now I tell you, because we must be out of that bloody pirate's way
when he comes, and there's a sight of work to do aboard.'

"After dinner the whole matter was again talked over and approved by
all, and then the skipper and myself took our leave and went aboard.

"As Captain Hopkins had arranged, we finished our freight on Friday
evening, and in the night Pedro came off to us with a boat-load of
baggage, pictures, heirlooms, and money. The next day we cleared at
the custom-house, and in the afternoon hove short on our anchor,
loosed our sails, and made every preparation for putting to sea in a
hurry. A lieutenant from the castle came off with our blacks after
dark, and while he was drinking a glass of wine in the cabin, Don
Pedro, most unfortunately, came on board. I heard his voice and
started to intercept him; but he met me in the companion, and seizing
me by the hand, exclaimed, 'Well, Stewart, you are all ready to cut
and run, I see; by this time to-morrow I hope we will be far beyond
reach--'

"'Hush! hush! for God's sake!' I whispered, pointing to the companion;
'there is an officer from the castle below.'

"We walked to the sky-light and looked down.

"'Diablo!' muttered Pedro, with a start, 'do you think he heard me?'

"'No, I think not; the skipper and he did not cease conversation. The
steward is so glad to get back amongst his crockery, that he was
kicking up a devil of a row in the pantry; that may have drowned your
voice.'

"'If he did hear me I'm ruined. He is Don Sebastian Alvarez, a nephew
of Carlos', and dependent on him; he has watched me closely for three
months. What is his errand?'

"'He brought off our cook and steward, who have been confined in the
castle.'

"'Well, I dare say all is right; he is a lieutenant in the castle, and
there is nothing strange in his being here on such business; but I'll
keep out of sight.'

"The officer soon came on deck, shook hands with Captain Hopkins,
wished him a pleasant voyage, and then went down into his boat,
ordering the men to pull for the castle.

"'All right, I trust,' cried Pedro, emerging from the round-house,
'if he had started for the city, it would have been suspicious.'

"The skipper called the crew, who were principally Yankees, upon the
quarter-deck, and in a brief speech