d on their retreat. They were not at first agreed as to
the steps to be adopted. Nick was for going ashore under any
circumstances--the difficulty of accomplishing his purpose, and the fact
of his having been forbidden to essay it, being, in his eyes, only
additional incentives. Frank was not disposed to make the attempt, if
his uncle really had interdicted it; but he professed himself certain
that no such order had been given by anybody but the first lieutenant,
and he was not, he said, going to be under his orders. Warley for once
was inclined to go beyond Frank, and declared that though he would obey
the captain's order if any reasonable ground for it was assigned, he
would not be debarred from what he considered his right as a passenger,
by any man's mere caprice. He added, however, that he thought it would
be better to hear what Lavie had found out, before coming to any
resolution.

"Well, it is time we should see the doctor, if we mean to do so,"
remarked Frank, after an hour or so had passed in conversation. "We
must be entering Porto Prayo by this time, or be near it at all events;
and he must have had lots of time to find out everything."

"Very good; one of us had better see Mr Lavie at once," said Ernest.
"I'll go, if you like, and come back to `Dionysius' here, as soon as I
have anything to tell."

He departed accordingly, and returned in about half an hour, looking
very cool, but very much annoyed.

"Hallo, Ernest, what's up now?" exclaimed Nick, as he caught sight of
his face. "What does the doctor say?"

"I haven't seen the doctor," answered Warley. "One of the crew has been
taken dangerously ill, and the doctor has been with him ever since he
left us."

"What have you learned, then?" asked Frank. "Are we in the harbour?"

"We're in the harbour, and the skipper's gone ashore. I saw his boat
half-way to the beach. Captain Renton, Mr May, and Mr De Koech have
gone with him. They are the only passengers who wanted to go."

"Well, but I suppose there are some shore boats that would take
passengers to and fro."

"The captain has given orders that no shore boat is to be allowed
alongside. He won't even allow the fresh provisions, or the water, to
be brought aboard by any but the ship's boats. I saw the largest cutter
with the empty water-casks in her, lying ready to go ashore presently."

"Who told you this?" inquired Wilmore, half incredulous.

"Old Jennings, the quartermaster. He h