to these, and, flinging them open, stood transfixed with
amazement; for one box--the larger of the two--was three-fourths full of
small pearls of the kind usually known as seed pearls, while the other
was nearly half full of lovely gems of the most exquisite satiny
whiteness, ranging in size from that of a small pea up to beauties as
big as the top of a man's thumb! What their value might be he had not
the vaguest idea, but there were hundreds of them; ay, possibly a
thousand or more, and he knew instinctively that if he never laid hands
upon another particle of booty, the contents of those two boxes would
pay the whole cost of the expedition and leave a very handsome margin
over for prize money. The boxes were iron-bound, and were furnished
with stout lids which were capable of being secured by means of strong
padlocks which hung in the hasps, with the keys still in them. So,
having satisfied his curiosity by closely examining a few of the finer
specimens, George closed and locked both boxes, slipped the keys into
his pocket, and then, going to the door, called to eight of his men,
and, indicating the boxes, instructed the seamen to carry them down to
the boats forthwith. Then, waiting until he had seen the task
accomplished, he walked to the church door, unlocked and threw it open,
and announced to the prisoners that they were now free to come forth and
proceed about their business, adding that if they would walk down to the
beach after he and his men were gone they would find their swords left
for them upon the sand. This done, he gave orders for the men to march
down to the boats, himself bringing up the rear.

As George quite expected, the cavalier in gorget and headpiece, who had
met the Englishmen upon their arrival, and who seemed to be the officer
in charge of the settlement, no sooner found himself free than he
proceeded straight to the big shed, entered it, and a moment later re-
appeared and came running after the retiring Englishmen.

"Senor," he cried, as soon as he arrived within speaking distance, "you
have taken our pearls, the proceeds of the entire fishing season up to
the present, and the loss of them will mean to me irreparable ruin. I
beg you to return them to me, senor, and in acknowledgment of your
courtesy I pledge you the honour of a Spanish gentleman that I will
remain silent as to your visit to this island. Otherwise I promise you
that I will immediately spread the news of your presen