ne part Spaniard, don't you flinch about using it."

"I shouldn't, sir, then."

"All right; then be off."

The skipper turned away, and Poole hurried up.

"What's my governor been saying to you?"

"Bullied me for being here," replied Fitz; "but he said that I might go
with you."

"He did!"

"Yes, and gave me orders to shoot all the niggers who attacked you."

"Hooray! Then come on."

The two lads hurried off together through the darkness, leaving the
hacienda and its defenders behind as they began to retrace their steps
along the rough track leading to the corduroy road.

"Here, we mustn't talk," whispered Poole. "There's pretty nearly sure
to be a post of the enemy somewhere in front. We can't have such luck
as to get down there to the river without something in our way. I'll go
on first."

"That you don't," said Fitz. "If any one goes first I will."

"Now, no nonsense!" cried Poole angrily. "I'm boss of this job, and if
you don't do as I tell you I'll leave you behind."

"I've got your father's orders to come and take care of you," retorted
Fitz; "and if you come any of your bounce and cheek now there'll be a
row, and it will end in my punching your head."

"Poof! Cock-a-doodle-do!" whispered Poole. "There: come on! Let's
walk side by side. I'll settle all that with you when the work is done.
I say, keep your eyes skinned, and both ears wide open. I'll look to
the right, you look to the left. We'll get on that wooden road and
follow it down to the wharf."

"Pretty wharf it is! I say, I hope those poor fellows haven't been
murdered."

"Oh, don't talk like that. They've got the boat, and let's hope they're
safe. But it's been hard lines for them, waiting there all this time,
with nothing to do but nibble their biscuits and kill flies.--Pst!"

Fitz imitated his companion's act and stopped short, his eyes striving
hard to pierce the gloom in front; but for nearly a minute both stood on
the strain.

"Nothing," said Poole. "Come on. It was some little animal escaping
through the bushes; but make ready."

The clicking of the locks of both pieces sounded painfully loud in the
silence as they went cautiously on, stopping again and again to listen,
each wishing they could hear some sound to relieve the painful tension
from which they suffered; but everything living seemed to have been
scared away, and they kept on without interruption, while the river
instead of getting nearer seemed to