as_ was certainly preoccupied, or he would
never have failed to inquire the extent of Joey's injury. Nor would
either he or Elsie have forgotten that Christobal was not "one of our
own people," though the girl might protest hotly against any invidious
twisting of the phrase.

The Spaniard missed nothing of Courtenay's solicitude for Elsie's
well-being, nor of her shy confusion. By operation of the occult law
which governs static electricity, it was possible that the magnetism
flowing between those two communicated itself to a third person.
However that might be, Christobal was under no sort of doubt that,
unless another "accident" intervened, he had lost all chance of winning
this woman's love.

But he swallowed the bitter knowledge and said:

"If you undertake to hold the dog, Miss Maxwell, I will bind his paw."

"Oh, my ducky darling little pet! Did I actually forget all about his
dear wounded little foot? And he came hopping in so bravely, too,
carrying himself with such a grand air. Come, then, Joey dear! Let us
see what has happened. Yes, this is the doctor, but he won't hurt you.
He is so good and kind to little dogs; he will wrap up the bleedy part
until it is quite nice and comfy."

"Your only patient, doctor," said the captain, cheerily, when Elsie had
done fondling the dog. "Even crediting our poor fireman to the enemy's
score, we have had the best of the first round."

"Is there any likelihood of a second attack?"

"I hope not. Indeed, I shall be very much surprised if they show up
again."

"Ah, that is excellent. Our young lady here does not thrive on
excitement, especially of the murderous variety. She is on the verge
of a high fever."

"Then she can calm down now; there will be no more fighting to-day,"
said Courtenay, with a smiling glance at Elsie which told her quite
plainly that Christobal did not really know what he was talking about.
Which goes to prove that even a prudent man may say mistaken things,
with both his tongue and his eyes.

CHAPTER XIV

THE FIRST WATCH

On his way back to the deck, the captain encountered Suarez. The man's
gestures, and the satisfaction which lit up his wrinkled face, would
have told the news he wished to convey if Courtenay were not able to
catch the words "Indianos" and "van." In his excitement the Spaniard
pulled the Englishman towards one of the peep-holes in the canvas
screen. Sure enough, the canoes were making off towards Otter