ere is not a vessel in the squadron
which can come near her unless it be the _Enterprise_. She has since
captured two West Indiamen, and was seen steering with them towards the
coast of Guiana. Now, I am going to give you thirty additional hands,
and send you after her."

"Thank you, sir," replied Edward, his countenance beaming with delight.

"How soon will you be ready?" inquired the admiral.

"To-morrow morning, sir."

"Very good. Tell Mr Hadley to bring me the order for the men and your
sailing orders, and I will sign them; but recollect, Mr Templemore, you
will have an awkward customer. Be prudent--brave I know you to be."

Edward Templemore promised everything, as most people do in such cases;
and before the next evening the _Enterprise_ was well in the offing,
under a heavy press of sail.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

THE LANDING.

The property of Don Cumanos, to which he had retired with his family,
accompanied by Francisco, extended from the mouth of, to many miles up,
the Magdalen river. It was a fine alluvial soil, forming one vast strip
of rich meadow, covered with numerous herds of cattle. The house was
not a hundreds yards from the bank of the magnificent stream, and a
small but deep creek ran up to the adjacent buildings; for Don Cumanos
had property even more valuable, being proprietor of a gold mine near
the town of Jambrano, about eight miles farther up, and which mine had
latterly become exceedingly productive. The ore was brought down the
river in boats, and smelted in the outhouses near the creek to which we
have just referred.

It will be necessary to observe that the establishment of the noble
Spaniard was numerous, consisting of nearly one hundred persons,
employed in the smelting-house or attached to the household.

For some time Francisco remained here happy and contented; he had become
the confidential supervisor of Don Cumanos' household, proved himself
worthy of a trust so important, and was considered as one of the family.

One morning, as Francisco was proceeding down to the smelting-house to
open the hatches of the small deck boats which had arrived from Jambrano
with ore, and which were invariably secured with a padlock by the
superintendent above, to which Don Cumanos had a corresponding key, one
of the chief men informed him that a vessel had anchored off the mouth
of the river the day before, and weighed again early that morning, and
that she was now standing off and on.