irly inflated with mysterious wisdom. But, thought
Kendric, what negro who ever lived would have denied having seen
something ghostly? Kendric had searched thoroughly high and low; he
had turned over big crates below deck, he had peered up the masts.
Now, before settling himself back in his chair, he looked in on Barlow
again. Twisty was turning over; his eyes were open.

"I don't want any funny business," said Kendric sternly. "Did you
smuggle Zoraida Castelmar on board?"

Barlow blinked at him.

"Who the blazes is Zoraida Castelmar?" he countered. "The cat or the
canary?"

Kendric grunted and went out, plumping himself down in his chair. He
supposed that he had imagined the whole thing. He had not seen
anything definitely; he had merely felt that eyes were watching him;
what had seemed a figure across deck might have been the oil coat
hanging on a peg or a curtain blowing out of a window. The more he
thought over the matter the more assured was he that he had allowed his
imaginings to make a fool of him. And by the time the sun flooded the
decks next morning he was ready to forget the episode.

They rounded San Lucas one morning, turned north into the gulf and
steered into La Paz where Barlow said he hoped to get a line on Escobar
and where they allowed custom officials an opportunity to assure
themselves that no contraband in the way of much dreaded rifles and
ammunition were being carried into restive Sonora. "Loco Gringoes out
after burro deer," was how the officials were led to judge them.
Barlow, gone several hours, reported that Escobar had not turned up at
the waterfront dives to which, according to the murdered Juarez, he
reported now and then to keep in touch with his outlaw commander.
Steering out again through the fishing craft and harbor boats, they
pounded the _New Moon_ on toward Port Adventure.

Then came at last the night when Barlow, looking hard mouthed and
eager, announced that in a few hours they would drop anchor and go
ashore to see what they would see. Nigger Ben and Philippine Charlie
were instructed gravely. They were to remain on board and were to
maintain a suspicious reserve toward all strangers, denying them
foothold on deck.

"The gents who'd be apt to make you a call," Barlow told them
impressively, "would cut your throats for a side of bacon. You boys
keep watches day and night. When we get back into San Diego Bay, if
you do your duties, you both get fifty dolla