tion to question him farther, but left him to go to sleep again
and sleep as long as he pleased.

Any further investigation appeared to Don Ramon to be useless--at least
until some order might be received from higher quarters--besides it
would be necessary to graduate the expenses of justice to the means of
the prosecutor; and with this reflection, the alcalde went home to his
breakfast.

In the evening of this eventful day for the village of Elanchovi--when
the twilight had fallen upon the water--two persons might have been seen
wandering along the beach, but evidently desirous of shunning one
another. Both appeared in grief, though their sorrows sprang from a
very different cause.

One was a poor old steward, who, while heaving a sigh at the thought
that his worldly store was about to be absorbed in the inexorable gulf
of justice, at the same time searched for some trace of his lost
mistress, praying for her and her child, and calling upon God to take
them under his protection.

The other pensive wanderer was Cagatinta, of whom the alcalde had again
taken the advantage. Profiting by the confidence of the scribe, Don
Ramon had induced the latter to commit his oath to stamped paper; and
then instead of the liver-coloured breeches had offered him an old hat
in remuneration. This Cagatinta had indignantly refused.

He was now lamenting his vanished dreams of ambition, his silly
confidence, and the immorality of false oaths--_not paid for_.
Nevertheless, he was meditating whether it would not be more prudent to
accept the old hat in lieu of the liver-coloured breeches, alas! so well
earned!

CHAPTER FIVE.

PEPE'S REVANCHE.

When Pepe the Sleeper had made himself master of the secret of Captain
Despierto--which he had found of such profitable service--he was not
aware that the captain had held back another. Nevertheless, the
coast-guard felt some kind of remorse of conscience--though he had as
yet no idea of the terrible consequences that had resulted. His remorse
was simply that he had betrayed his post of sentinel; and he determined
that he would make up for it by a more zealous performance of duty
whenever an opportunity should offer. To bring about this contingency,
he went on the very next night, and requested to be once more placed on
the post of Ensenada.

His wish was gratified; and while Don Lucas believed him asleep as
usual, Pepe kept wide awake, as on the preceding night.

We shall leave