,
he will make the most desperate efforts to escape it, if it be such a
death as that intended for us by the Spaniards. Now, although I had
lived in such an out-of-the-way part of England, I had heard many a
fearful story of the wrongs and cruelties practiced by the Inquisitors
in Mexico. Tales came across the wide ocean of rackings and tormentings
and burnings, of men given over to slavery, wearing their San-benitos
for many a weary year, and perhaps dying of torture in the end. We would
do something to escape a fate like that, God helping us!

Late that night Captain Nunez stood by my side on deck. The wind now
blew from the north-west, and the ship was making headway towards land.
To the south-east, through the darkness, glimmered the volcanic fire of
Tuxtla, but the giant peak of Orizaba had disappeared.

"To-morrow at sunrise, Master Salkeld, we shall be in the port of Vera
Cruz," said Nunez. "I have some friends there to whom I will give you an
introduction. Till then, Senor, sleep well."

He smiled at me in the dim lantern light and went below. I remained
pacing the deck for another hour. Once or twice I looked over the side
and saw the boat swinging below our stern. Now, the poop of the Spanish
ship was of a more than usual height, and I foresaw that I should have
some difficulty in getting into the boat, and run a fair chance of
drowning. Better drown, I thought, than burn; and so, after a time, the
deck being quiet, I climbed over the side and managed to drop into the
boat, where I made haste to hide myself as I best could.

It was some two hours after that when Pharaoh Nanjulian joined me, and
immediately cut us adrift.

The ship seemed to glide away from us into the darkness.

CHAPTER VIII.

AN UNKNOWN LAND.

Now, although we were adrift in a perilous sea, and had no hope of
making land, save in a wild and savage country, where there was more
hope of mercy from the Indians than from the civilized Spaniards, I was
yet so thankful to find myself free of the ship and of Senor Manuel
Nunez, that for some moments I could scarcely believe in my freedom.

"I could swear that I am but dreaming and shall presently awake to find
myself a prisoner," I said to Pharaoh, who was busily engaged in
examining the boat.

"'Tis no dream, master," said he. "This is a very stern reality, as you
shall quickly find. Nor is it time for dreaming. If we mean to come out
of this adventure with whole skins, we shall