nd unjustly disturbed.
Anywhere he might go, his family--not excepting Manoel, who was bound
to him by so many ties--would assuredly follow without the slightest
hesitation.

"Let us go," said Benito; "we must have all ready before night, and we
have no time to lose."

The young men returned on board by way of the canal bank, which led
along the Rio Negro. They satisfied themselves that the passage of the
pirogue would be quite possible, and that no obstacles such as locks or
boats under repair were there to stop it. They then descended the left
bank of the tributary, avoiding the slowly-filling streets of the town,
and reached the jangada.

Benito's first care was to see his mother. He felt sufficiently master
of himself to dissemble the anxiety which consumed him. He wished to
assure her that all hope was not lost, that the mystery of the document
would be cleared up, that in any case public opinion was in favor of
Joam, and that, in face of the agitation which was being made in his
favor, justice would grant all the necessary time for the production
of the material proof his innocence. "Yes, mother," he added, "before
to-morrow we shall be free from anxiety."

"May heaven grant it so!" replied Yaquita, and she looked at him so
keenly that Benito could hardly meet her glance.

On his part, and as if by pre-arrangement, Manoel had tried to reassure
Minha by telling her that Judge Jarriquez was convinced of the innocence
of Joam, and would try to save him by every means in his power.

"I only wish he would, Manoel," answered she, endeavoring in vain to
restrain her tears.

And Manoel left her, for the tears were also welling up in his eyes
and witnessing against the words of hope to which he had just given
utterance.

And now the time had arrived for them to make their daily visit to the
prisoner, and Yaquita and her daughter set off to Manaos.

For an hour the young men were in consultation with Araujo. They
acquainted him with their plan in all its details, and they discussed
not only the projected escape, but the measures which were necessary for
the safety of the fugitive.

Araujo approved of everything; he undertook during the approaching night
to take the pirogue up the canal without attracting any notice, and he
knew its course thoroughly as far as the spot where he was to await the
arrival of Joam Dacosta. To get back to the mouth of the Rio Negro was
easy enough, and the pirogue would be able to pa