he masts that rose above the fringe of trees.

"There's a black-top funnel like the Danish boat's, and a flag with red
and white on it, but it's hanging limp. They don't feel the breeze
inside."

He jumped down as Dick changed his course, and they passed a spit of
surf-washed sand, rounded the last clump of trees, and opened up the
harbor mouth. The sunshine fell upon a glaring white and yellow town, and
oily water glittered between the wharf and the dark hulls of anchored
vessels, but Dick suddenly set his lips. He knew the Danish boat, and she
was not there.

"She's gone," said Jake with a hint of relief in his voice. "That was her
smoke on the skyline."

CHAPTER XXVIII

ROUGH WATER

As soon as they entered port, Dick and Jake went to the office of a
Spanish shipbroker, who offered them his polite sympathy.

"We had very little cargo here, and when he heard there was some dyewood
at San Ignacio the captain steamed off again," he explained.

"What sort of a port is San Ignacio, and how far is it?" Dick asked.

"It is an _aldea_ on the shore of a lagoon, with a wharf that small boats
can reach, about forty miles from here."

"Then they take the dyewood off in boats? If there is much of the stuff,
it would be a long job."

"That is so, senor. The boats can only reach the wharf when the tide is
high. At other times, the cargo must be carried down through the mud."

"Have you a large chart of this coast?"

The broker brought a chart and Dick studied it for some minutes, making
notes in his pocket-book. Then he looked up.

"Where can I get fresh water?"

The broker asked how much he wanted and after taking some paper money
gave him a ticket.

"There is a pipe on the wharf and when the peon sees the receipt he will
fill your tanks."

Dick thanked him and going out with Jake found their fireman asleep in a
wine-shop. They had some trouble in wakening the man and after sending
him off to get the water, ordered some wine. The room was dirty and
filled with flies, but the lattice shutters kept out the heat and they
found the shadow pleasant after the glare outside. Jake dropped into a
cane chair with a sigh of content. He felt cramped and stiff after the
long journey in the narrow cockpit of the plunging launch, and was
sensible of an enjoyable lassitude. It would be delightful to lounge
about in the shade after refreshing himself with two or three cool
drinks, but he had misgivings that this was no