an emphatic hand.

"Please attend. The situation is not so simple as you seem to imagine.
The loss of your ship cannot be dealt with here. It raises issues of
international law which can only be settled by courts and governments.
You know, I suppose, that nothing will be done until a complaint is
lodged by a British minister, and that hinges upon the very doubtful
fact that you will ever again see your own country."

The ex-President certainly had the knack of expressing himself clearly.
Those concluding words rang like a knell. They even called Watts back
from the slumber of unconsciousness; the "chief" stirred himself where
he lay on the floor of the cavern, and began to quaver.

"----twelve old salts an' the skipper's lass
Marooned in the Spanish Main, O.
Sing hay----"

Coke, taken by surprise, was unable to stop this warbling earlier. But
his hand clutched Watts's shoulder, and his venomous whisper of "Shut
up, you ijjit!" was so unmistakable that the lyric ceased.

De Sylva seemed to be aware of some peculiarity in the symptoms of the
wounded man's recovery, but he continued speaking in the same balanced
tone.

"It happens, by idle chance, that my enemies have become yours. The
men who destroyed your ship thought they were injuring me. I have just
pointed out to Capitano De San Benavides the precise outcome of this
attack. Until a few moments ago we shared the delusion that the troops
on Fernando de Noronha believed we were now on our way to a Brazilian
port. We were mistaken. More than that, we know now that they have
obtained news--probably through a traitor to our cause--of the
_Andros-y-Mela's_ voyage. They were prepared for her coming. They had
made arrangements to receive her--almost at the place decided on by our
friends in Brazil. It is more than likely that the _Andros-y-Mela_ is
now lying under the guns of some coast fortress, since the presence of
troops and cannon on this side of the island is unprecedented."

"I don't see wot all this 'as to do with me," blurted out Coke
determinedly.

"No. It would not concern you in the least if you were safe at sea.
But, since you are here, it does concern you most gravely. From one
point of view, you served my cause well by preparing to lower a boat.
You misled my persecutors as to locality, at least. Of course, I saw
you, and thought you were mad, but your action did help to conceal from
the soldiers the secret of my