y one now," said Poole.

"Right," cried Fitz. "Catch, stupid!" And he sent one of the biggest
melons back.

The man caught it deftly, and returned it, shouting--

"No, no, no! Don Ramon--Don Ramon!"

Something similar was going on upon the other side of the schooner,
where, grinning with delight, the Camel was seizing the poultry handed
in, and setting them at liberty upon the deck, while now an explanation
followed.

The three boat-loads of provisions were gifts from Don Ramon and his
people to those who had helped them in their time of need, while the
Don's messengers seemed wild with delight, eagerly pointing out the good
qualities of all they had brought, and chattering away as hard as ever
they could, or laughing with delight when some active chicken escaped
from the hands that held it or took flight when pitched aboard and made
its way back to the shore. It was not only the men in the
provision-barges that kept up an excited chorus, for they were joined by
those in the boats that crowded round, the delivery being accompanied by
cheers and the waving of hats and veils, the women's voices rising
shrilly in what seemed to be quite a paean of welcome and praise.

"What time would you like dinner, laddies?" came from behind just then,
in a familiar voice, and the boys turned sharply round to face the
Camel, who seemed to be showing nearly all his teeth after the fashion
of one of his namesakes in a good temper. "Ma word, isn't it grand!
Joost look! Roast and boiled cheecan and curry; and look at the
garden-stuff. I suppose it's all good to eat, but they're throwing in
things I never washed nor boiled before. It's grand, laddies--it's
grand! Why, ma word! Hark at 'em! Here's another big boat coming, and
the skipper will have to give a great dinner, or we shall never get it
all eaten."

"No," cried Poole, "it's a big boat with armed men, and--I say, Fitz,
this doesn't mean treachery? No, all right; that's Don Ramon coming on
board."

The tremendous burst of cheering from every boat endorsed the lad's
words, every one standing up shouting and cheering as the President's
craft came nearer, threading its way through the crowd of boats, whose
occupants seemed to consider that there was not the slightest risk of a
capsize into a bay that swarmed with sharks. But thanks to the
management of Don Ramon's crew, his barge reached the side of the
schooner without causing mishap, and he sprang aboard, a gay-lo