nication with the
enemy, he probably knows something of their movements; he may afford us
valuable information."

My father accordingly went out. I stayed a short time to try and calm
the doctor, who was excessively enraged at the conduct of his servant.
"Light your meerschaum, doctor," I said, "while I go and see how matters
are proceeding."

On reaching the verandah in front of the house, I found Norah and old
Josefa standing there, the latter apparently as much excited as the rest
of her sable brethren and sisters, who in considerable numbers were
collected round the accused negro, vociferating loudly, while Jumbo, who
had never taken to him, was joining in the chorus with repeated barks.
My father advanced, and having requested the rest to be silent,
addressed him earnestly, and urged him at once to confess what he had
been about. Gab, lifting up his hands, declared that he had had no evil
intentions, as he respected his master, and was grateful to us his
entertainers; and that the other blacks, through jealousy, had brought a
false accusation against him. On hearing this they all shouted out as
before, denouncing Senor Gab as a traitor, a spy, a barefaced hypocrite,
and bestowing a good many other unsavoury epithets upon him.

"Silence, my friends," again said my father; "I must sift this matter to
the bottom. You have behaved faithfully in bringing him back, and I am
thankful to you. And now, Gab, tell me at once, who are the people you
went to meet, and what did you say to them? You will understand that if
you faithfully speak the truth, you will be rewarded; but if you
endeavour in any way to deceive us, you will be punished severely."

Gab hung down his head.

"Speak at once," said my father. "I cannot allow you time to concoct a
story. Who are the people you went to meet?"

"I learned nothing from them, Senor Desmond," at length replied Gab.
"They were friends of the Spaniards, I confess; and they wanted to know
how many people were assembled in this house, and in Senor Concannan's;
also if there were many fighting men in the village, and whether you
expected a party of the insurgent troops to come here."

"And did you give them the information they required?" asked my father.

"O senor, believe me, I did not," exclaimed Gab. "I told them as many
lies as I could think of, and tried my best to deceive them."

"You audacious villain! Then how are we to believe you?" exclaimed the
doctor, who