eemed to betray an indifference to
their present situation.

"Well, Senor Don Cornelio," said Costal, "what would you give now to be
lying in a hammock, with a canopy of jaguars and rattlesnakes over you?
Eh?"

Costal smiled as he recalled the scene of the inundation. His gaiety
was a good sign. Almost immediately after, however, he muttered to
himself, in a tone of inquietude--

"Can it be possible that the barges have gone back?"

In situations of a frightful kind the smallest suspicion soon assumes
the form of a reality; and the Captain did not doubt but that the barges
had returned to the shore. Not that there was the slightest reason for
this belief. On the contrary, it was more natural to suppose that they
were still in the place where they had been left--awaiting the return of
the canoe, and the news it might bring them. This was all the more
likely: since they in the barges could not fail to have heard the shot
from the schooner, and would be awaiting an explanation of it.

The probability of all this--especially of the boats being still in the
same place--did not fail to strike Costal, who for some seconds appeared
to be reflecting profoundly.

Meanwhile the waves had increased, and had all the appearance of soon
becoming much larger. Already the frail embarkation was tossed about
like an egg-shell.

"Listen to me, Senor Don Cornelio Lantejas!" said Costal.

"Ah!" woefully murmured the Captain, on hearing his patronymic
pronounced; for ever since his proscription as Cornelio Lantejas, he had
held his own name in horror. Never did it sound to him with a more
lugubrious accent than now.

"Listen!" said Costal, repeating himself with emphasis; "I know you are
a man for whom death has no terrors. Well, then! I think it would not
be right of me to conceal from you--a fact--"

"What fact?"

"That if we stay here one hour longer, we must both go to the bottom.
The waves are constantly growing bigger, as you see--"

"And what can we do?" demanded Lantejas, in a despairing tone.

"One of two things," replied Costal. "The barges are either waiting for
us where we left them, or they are directing their course towards the
isle. It is absurd to suppose they have returned to the town. When one
receives an order from a great general to attack any particular point,
one does not return without making an attempt. The boats, therefore,
must still be where we parted from them."

"Well, what would you