n it. And then, too, the little exclamation of joy when he
finally stepped into the stern-sheets, and sat down beneath the awning,
while he stretched his smooth brown linen legs out on the cushions. Oh,
it was certainly a touch of high piratical art!

"The old 'Centipede' is looking a little rusty after her late cruise,
Pedillo!" throwing his head back to evade a curl of smoke, and casting
his cold eyes like a rattle of icy hail at the coxswain. "But I am glad
Pedro took your place"--puff, puff--"that knife-stab prevented you, of
course"--puff--"and we shall have her all tight and trig again in a day
or two."

"_Si, senor!_" said Pedillo, respectfully; "and how goes Senor Gibbs,
_capitano_?"

The _capitano_ rolled his icy eyes again at the coxswain, and replied,
carelessly, "Why, Pedillo, our friend Gibbs came to see me when the
'Centipede' anchored, but almost before"--puff--"he had given me an
account of his unfortunate cruise he fell down in a fit. The fact is,
however"--puff, puff--"that, what with hard drinking and inflammation
which set in on the stump of his lost leg, he has been in a very bad
way"--puff--"quite in a dangerous condition indeed, requiring all my old
Babette's care and attention"--puff--"but this morning the good padre
went to see him, and he told me a while ago that he left him without
fever, and altogether tranquil."

Pedillo's wiry mustaches twirled of themselves.

Meanwhile the boat skimmed lightly over the basin, and as the captain
ceased speaking she ran alongside of the felucca. Don Ignacio, with his
bright single eye in full burning power, and a cigarette between his
wrinkled lips, was on the deck of the vessel to receive his visitor; and
as he saw the coxswain follow his superior with a weighty bag under his
arm, his glimmering orb became brighter, if possible--as if it was
piercing through the thick canvas of the bag, and counting, ounce by
ounce, the contents--and putting out his fore finger, it was grasped
cordially by the white hand of Captain Brand.

"_Como se va?_ How goes it with my _compadre_? Stomach and head all
clear after our long dinner of yesterday?"

The _compadre_ said that his head was particularly clear that morning,
and as for his stomach he had not yet inquired; but if the _capitano_
had any doubts as to the former proposition, he had better step below
and decide for himself.

In accordance with this ambiguous invitation, the visitor and commander
disappeared