lights died away upon the hills, and with them the softer feelings which
had crept in upon his heart. Night settled down upon the outer world,
and with it returned the gloomy thoughts that now for many days had made
his mind their home.

It had occurred to him that the Brazilian would have it in his power to
assist him in effecting his purpose, when they arrived in the harbour,
and he had, therefore, found opportunities of rendering him indebted to
him for many small services. He lent him clothes now to appear among the
other sailors when they were mustered before the authorities, who came
on board immediately after the ship entered the harbour, and it thus
escaped their notice that there was one over the number returned by the
captain as his crew.

The harbour pilot, however--a consequential Mulatto in a Panama hat and
red feather, and decorated with a badge and staff--was more
sharp-sighted, and soon perceived, from the irritable tone in which the
song at the capstan was sung again as they warped the vessel round to
her anchorage in the Ilha das Cobras basin, that there was discontent
prevailing on board; and it was no doubt owing to a hint from him that
already the same evening there were "runners" waiting about near them on
the quay.

Captain Beck was out of humour both with himself and with his crew. Down
in a warm climate he was always irritable, and now that he believed his
authority weakened he had become a perfect tyrant. The prospect of
another voyage under his command was more than many of his crew could
face, and preparations were made by many of them to leave the ship as
soon as they should have received whatever portion of pay on account the
captain proposed, as is customary when a vessel is in harbour, to
distribute. Salve, however, did not wait for this, and already, the
second night, he and the Brazilian had disappeared.

There was a sharp search instituted, with the assistance of the harbour
police, especially in the house of one particular runner who had been
seen talking with the crew. But he gave them such full liberty to search
his house, and showed such a clear conscience in the matter, that the
police had to admit that they were off the scent this time.

The captain after this intrusted the nightwatches only to those among
the crew upon whom he could place reliance, hauled off from the quay
every evening, and absolutely refused all leave on shore. He had only
received the thanks he deserved,