ill be down here
at five o'clock, and you can go up and get it, then."

The man thought for a moment.

"I would rather do it now, senor, if it makes no difference to you.
Then we can have our evening meals at home with our families, and
come straight down here, and start."

"Very well; fetch your brother, and we will set about the matter at
once; as I have to go out to my farm and make some arrangements,
and tell them they may not see me again for three days."

In two or three minutes the fisherman came back, with his brother.
Bob went with them to a trader in fruit, and bought twenty boxes of
lemons and ten of oranges, and saw them carried down and put on
board. Then he handed a dollar to the boatman.

"Get a loaf of white bread, and a nice piece of cooked meat, and a
couple of bottles of good wine, and put them on board. We shall be
hungry, before morning. I will be here at a few minutes before
six."

Highly satisfied with the good fortune that had enabled him to get
the fruit on board without the slightest difficulty, Bob returned
into the town. It was but eleven o'clock now so--having had but a
short sleep the night before, and no prospect of sleep the next
night--he walked a mile along the road by the sea, then turned off
among the sand hills and slept, till four in the afternoon; after
which he returned to Marbella, and partook of a hearty meal.

Having finished this he strolled out, and was not long in
discovering a shop where arms were sold. Here he bought a brace of
long, heavy pistols, and two smaller ones; with powder and bullets,
and also a long knife. They were all made into a parcel together
and, on leaving the shop, he bought a small bag. Then he went a
short distance out of the town again, carefully loaded the four
pistols, and placed them and the knife in the bag.

As he went back, the thought struck him that the voyage might
probably last longer than they expected and, buying a basket, he
stored it with another piece of meat, three loaves, and two more
bottles of wine, and gave it to a boy to carry down to the boat.

It was a few minutes before six when he got there. The two sailors
were standing by the boat, and a considerable pile of fish in the
bow showed that they had been successful in getting a consignment
from the other fishermen of the port. They looked surprised at the
second supply of provisions.

"Why, senor, we have got the things you ordered."

"Yes, yes, I do not doubt that