m."

Jose looked somewhat disappointed.

"Come," said Arthur, "we will accompany you a part of the way. Here are
two birds which we have shot; they will help to support you and Senor
Dennis till you reach this to-morrow."

Still Jose lingered, evidently wishing to learn the way to our retreat;
but Arthur had a determined manner about him, and Jose was at length
compelled to turn back, whereupon we accompanied him.

We walked on for about half a mile through the forest, but were
unwilling to go further, for fear of losing our way. At length we bade
Jose goodbye, and hurried back, occasionally looking behind us to
ascertain whether he was following. It was dark by the time we reached
our retreat. Camo had just before come in, and, strange to say, had not
seen anything of Jose. Uncle Paul approved of what we had done, but
expressed his doubts as to whether Jose was honest.

"We shall know to-morrow," he observed. "If he is accompanied by your
father, all may be right; but if not, we must take care that he does not
discover our retreat. Having themselves failed to find us, the officers
of the Inquisition are very likely to have bribed him; and they may
possibly have let your father escape their clutches, for the sake of
catching us all in one net."

So impressed was Uncle Paul with this idea, that he proposed we should
move further south, to some other safe place of concealment. Consulting
Camo on the subject, the Indian replied that we could not hope to find a
safer retreat than our present one, and suggested that he and his
companions should be on the watch, some distance in advance of the spot
to which we had told Jose to bring my father; promising that, should he
be accompanied by strangers, they would immediately hasten to inform us,
so that we might have time to escape.

I earnestly hoped that my father would come; for, though he might run
the risk of sacrificing his property, that would be far better than
having to act the part of a hypocrite, or being shut up in the dungeons
of the Inquisition.

The night seemed very long; and I could scarcely go to sleep for
thinking of what might happen on the morrow. At the hour appointed,
Arthur and I went to the spot agreed on; Camo and the other natives
having some time before set out to watch for Jose's approach. We waited
anxiously; the hour for the meeting had arrived. At length we caught
sight of two persons coming through the forest. My heart bounded