supposing that matters
go as badly with you as you seem to fear, that will be better than
_hanging_, will it not? And, you see, I _must_ have somebody with me,
as interpreter, whose interest it will be that I shall be successful in
my mission; and I know of no one whose interests can be made more
completely identical with my own than yourself, senor. Therefore I
shall take you with me, regardless of consequences. But if you have any
assistants ashore to whom you would like to send a very brief message to
the effect that you are taking a little business-trip up the river with
me for a few days, and that they must do the best they can for you
during your absence, I have no objection to your sending it. Otherwise,
I will dismiss your boat; for we must not miss this fine sea-breeze,
which ought to take us a good many miles up-stream before it dies away."

"Well, gentlemen, if you are quite determined, I must submit," answered
Lobo, with a very disconsolate air. "But I protest against being thus
carried off against my will; I protest against it as a--an--a--what do
you call him?--yes, an outrage--an outrage, gentlemen; and the
Portuguese Government will inquire into the matter."

"All right," said I cheerfully; "there can be no objection to that, so
far as _we_ are concerned. And now that we have arranged this little
matter, shall I dismiss your boat?"

"No, no; not yet, not yet," hastily answered Lobo. "Give me one littl'
piece of paper, if you please, and I will write a few words to Diego, my
manager, telling him what to do in my absence."

"No," said I determinedly, "I can permit no written messages; a _verbal_
one, if you like, but nothing more."

"Ver' well," answered Lobo resignedly. "Then I will go up and speak to
my boatmen."

"No need for that," said I. "Tell us which of your men you wish to see,
and I will send for him to come here."

Poor Lobo made a gesture of impatience, but saw that I had quite
determined to afford him no shadow of an opportunity to make any secret
communication whatever; so he submitted to the inevitable, and sent for
one of his men, to whom he delivered such a message as I suggested,
adding a request that a small supply of clothing might be sent off to
him at once. This ended the matter, so far as the obtaining of an
efficient interpreter was concerned; the clothes were brought off; and
shortly after noon we weighed and, with a brisk breeze, stood out of the
creek on our way