st creature who lay
there in torment. Gradually the sky brightened a little.

"Perhaps we had better be making a start," said Leonard; "there is a
canoe which will serve our turn."

Before the words were out of his mouth they heard the splash of oars,
and a boat crept past them and made fast to the water-gate twenty yards
away.

"Who goes there?" came the challenge of the sentry in Portuguese. "Speak
quick or I fire."

"Don't be in such a hurry with your rifle, fool," answered a coarse
voice. "The very best of friends goes here. An honest trader called
Xavier who comes from his plantation on the coast to tell you all good
news."

"Pardon, senor," said the sentry, "but how was a man to see in the dark,
big as you are? What is the news then? Are the dhows in sight?"

"Come down and help us to tie up this cursed boat and I will tell you.
You know where the post is, and we can't find it."

The sentry obeyed with alacrity, and the man called Xavier went on:
"Yes, the dhows are in sight, but I don't think that they will get in
to-night because of this wind, so you may look for a busy day to-morrow
loading up the blackbirds. One _is_ in by the way--a small one from
Madagascar. The captain is a stranger, a big Frenchman named Pierre, or
he may be an Englishman for anything I know. I hailed him and found that
he is all right, but I didn't see him. However, I sent him a note to
tell him that there was fun on here to-night, which was generous of me,
as he may be a rival bidder."

"Is he coming, senor? I ask because, if so, I must look out for him."

"I don't know: he answered that he would if he could. But how is the
English girl? She is to be put up to-night, isn't she?"

"Oh, yes, senor, there will be a great to-do at twelve, when the moon is
high. So soon as she has been bought, the priest Francisco is to marry
her to the lucky man, there and then. The old fellow insists on it;
he has grown superstitious about the girl and says that she shall be
properly married."

Xavier laughed aloud, "Has he now? He is getting into his dotage. Well,
what does it matter? We have a good law of divorce in these parts,
friend. I am going in for that girl; if I give a hundred ounces for her
I will buy her, and I have brought the gold with me."

"A hundred ounces for one girl! It is a large sum, senor, but you are
rich. Not like us poor devils who get all the risk and little profit."

By this time the men had finished tying up the