t
approaching the West India islands. We are, in fact, off the coast of
Mexico, and the mountain you see in the distance is the famed peak of
Orizaba. To-morrow morning we shall drop anchor in the port of Vera
Cruz."

"And what shall I do there, Senor?"

He smiled at the question--a mysterious smile, which had a grim meaning
behind it.

"Who knows, Senor? There are many occupations for a young and active
gentleman."

Now, for the life of me I could not help asking him a very pertinent
question before I left the cabin to return on deck.

"Senor," I said, "seeing that we are to part so soon you will perhaps
not object to giving me some information. How much did my cousin, Master
Jasper Stapleton, pay you for your share in this matter?"

He gave me a curious glance out of his eye corners.

"The amount of your passage-money, Master Salkeld, was two hundred
English guineas. I hope you consider the poor accommodation which I have
been able to give you in accordance with that sum."

"I have no fault to find with the accommodation, Senor," I replied. "So
far as the bodily comfort of your prisoner was concerned you have proved
yourself a good jailer."

"Let us hope you will never find a worse, Master Salkeld," he answered,
with another mocking smile. "But, indeed, you wrong me in speaking of me
as a jailer. Say rather a kind and considerate host."

I repressed the words which lay on the tip of my tongue ready to fling
at him, and went on deck. The wind was still against us, and the ship
made little progress, for which both Pharaoh and I were devoutly
thankful, neither of us being minded to make Vera Cruz ere night fell.
Certainly there was little to choose between the two courses open to
us. If we were handed over to the Inquisitors by Nunez, we should
certainly be burned at the stake, or, at any rate, racked, tortured, and
turned over to a slave-master. If we reached shore we should have to
undergo many privations and face all manner of perils, with every
probability of ultimately falling into the hands of the Spaniards once
more. Indeed, so certain did it seem that we should eventually meet our
fate at the stake, or the rack, that more than once I doubted whether it
was worth our while to attempt an escape.

But life is sweet, however dark its prospects may be, and a true man
will always fight for it, though the odds against him are great. And,
moreover, when a man knows what manner of death it is that awaits him