until Thedori was safely aboard. So, every
precaution being taken in order to ensure success, we arrived at the
main island during the afternoon of the day we had set out, and cast
anchor in the bay from which, nearly six years before, in the "Golden
Seahorse", I had escaped with Hartog and our crew from the captivity
which Thedori had intended for us after capturing our vessel.

I had no pity for the man whom we had come to call to account, for, to
my mind, treachery is the worst of crimes. An open enemy may be fairly
encountered, but a snake in the grass can only be met by the same
serpent tricks as he plays upon others, and when I thought of the
welcome Thedori had given us at our first interview with him, when he
had exhorted us to land in safety so that we might enjoy the comforts
of life and recruit our strength, in order, as it subsequently
transpired, that he might betray us, I felt that no reprisals could be
too severe against one guilty of such roguish deception.

The city of Porne appeared unchanged from when I had last seen it.
There were a few new houses close to the beach, but otherwise the city
itself, with its low-built cabins and regular streets, was the same.

I was greatly surprised, however, upon entering the harbour to see the
Spanish frigate, upon which Donna Isabel Barreto had decamped with the
gold taken front the island of Armenio, at anchor close to the shore.
What could have brought the frigate here, and kept her here for so long
a time since I had last seen her at Sumatra, I was at a loss to
understand. The unexpected appearance of this vessel seemed likely to
complicate our plans, and I determined to elucidate the mystery before
proceeding with the matter in hand.

It was late in the afternoon when we cast anchor in Porne Harbour, and
that night the same wonderful display of glow-worms showed itself among
the woods on shore. It was then also that I knew that the black bats
would be abroad, so as to make it unlikely our movements would be
observed, since the inhabitants of Porne would be shut up in their
houses.

So, when all was still, I took the smallest of the ship's boats, and
was rowed in the direction of the frigate.

CHAPTER LI

GETTING BACK OUR OWN

We took no lantern with us in the boat upon our expedition to board the
Spanish frigate, trusting to the light of the stars, and that given by
the glow-worms on shore, to guide us, and as we approached the frigate
we obser