one and his course was plain. He
must confront Kenwardine with a concise statement of his share in the
plot and force from him an undertaking that he would abandon his
traitorous work.

This might be difficult, but Dick did not think he would fail. Don
Sebastian, who perhaps knew more than he did, was to meet him at a Cuban
port, and the Spaniard could be trusted to handle the matter with skill.
There was no direct communication between Santa Brigida and Kingston, but
steamers touched at the latter place when making a round of other ports,
which would enable Dick and his ally to join Kenwardine's boat at her
last call. If either of them had gone on board at Santa Brigida,
Kenwardine would have left the ship at the next port.

Since he had sailed on an English steamer, bound for British territory,
he would be subject to British law when they met, and they could, if
needful, have him arrested. Dick admitted that this ought to be done to
begin with, but had not decided about it yet. He would wait and be guided
by events. The British officials might doubt his story and decline to
interfere, but Kenwardine could not count on that, because Don Sebastian
was armed with credentials from the President of a friendly state.

Dick, however, dismissed the matter. He was tired in mind and body, and
did not mean to think of anything important until he met Kenwardine. By
and by his head grew heavy, and resting it on the back of his chair, he
closed his eyes. When Jake came up, followed by a steward carrying two
tall glasses of frothing liquor, he saw that his comrade was fast asleep.

"You can put them down," he told the steward. "I'm thirsty enough to
empty both, but you can bring some more along when my partner wakes."

After this he took a black seaman, who was making some noise as he swept
the poop, by the arm and firmly led him to the other side of the deck.
Then he drained the glasses with a sigh of satisfaction, and lighting a
cigarette, sat down near Dick's feet. He did not mean to sleep, but when
he got up with a jerk as the lunch bell rang he saw Dick smiling.

"Have I been sitting there all this time?" he asked.

"No," said Dick. "You were lying flat on deck when I woke up an hour
ago." Then he indicated the two glasses, which had rolled into the
scupper channel. "I shouldn't be surprised if those accounted for it."

"Perhaps they did," Jake owned, grinning. "Anyhow, we'll have some more,
with a lump of ice in it, bef