, and he should find himself laid by the heels to
answer for his crimes.

* * * *

Chivey was supposed to be hiding.

In reality he was a prisoner in the house of Senor Velasquez, and he
knew it.

The notary was an old man, and he suffered from sundry ailments which
belong to age--notably to rheumatism.

An acute attack prostrated the old man, and held him down when he was
most anxious to be up and doing.

And the night before Herbert Murray was to set sail, he lay groaning
and moaning with racking pains.

His cries reached Chivey, who lay in the next room, and he came to the
sick man's door to ask if he could be of any assistance.

He peered warily in.

In spite of his groans and anguish, the old notary was insensible under
the influence of an opiate.

Chivey crept in.

On a low table beside the bed was a lamp flickering fearfully, and a
glass containing some medicine.

Beside the glass a phial labelled laudanum.

Something possessed the intruder to empty the contents of the phial
into the glass, and just as he had done so, the sufferer opened his
eyes.

"Who's there?"

"It's me, Senor Velasquez," said the tiger. "You have been ill----"

"What do you do here?" demanded the notary, sharply.

"You called out. I thought I might be of assistance."

"No, no."

"Then I will go, senor," said Chivey, "for I am tired."

"Stay, give me my physic before you go."

Chivey handed him the glass.

The sick man gulped it down, and made a wry face.

"How bitter it tastes," he said, with a shudder.

"Good-night, senor."

"Good-night."

* * * *

Chivey did not remain very long absent.

The heavy breathing of the notary soon told him that it was safe to
return to the room.

The business of the morrow so filled the mind of the old Spaniard, that
he was talking of it in his sleep.

"At an hour after daybreak, I tell you, Murray," he muttered. "The
berth is paid for, paid for by my gold. You follow on the track of your
enemy Harkaway, and once you are within reach, give a sharp, sure
stroke, and you will be free from your only enemy, seeing that you have
already taken good care of your traitor servant."

Chivey was amazed, electrified.

Did he hear aright?

"At daybreak!" he exclaimed, aloud.

"Yes; at daybreak," returned the notary in his sleep.

After a pause, the sleeper muttered--

"What say you? If