direct her to arouse and warn the senorita. Now be off with
you, and return as quickly as possible."

So saying I hustled him out, and forthwith hastened away to the little
room which I knew was occupied by the negress. This I entered without
ceremony, and, arousing the old creature, acquainted her as briefly as
possible with the situation of affairs, and directed her to arouse Lotta
forthwith. Then I returned to the room which I had been occupying--and
which was actually Ricardo's own sleeping apartment--and busied myself
in collecting together some half a dozen charts which were scattered
about the room, and which, I thought, might be useful, as well as
Ricardo's quadrant and a copy of the current _Nautical Almanac_. By the
time that I had got these and one or two other matters together, Fonseca
had returned, and a few minutes later Lotta and Mammy appeared, the
latter loaded with a huge bundle of wraps and spare clothing belonging
to her beloved mistress. Having enquired whether they were now ready
for instant flight, and received a prompt affirmative reply, I gave the
word to evacuate the premises, and we forthwith filed out into the
garden, shaping a course for the treasure cave, which I had determined
should be our place of refuge until we could perfect our plans for
effecting an escape. As it happened, we were not a moment too soon, for
we had traversed little more than half the length of the garden when the
sound of voices in somewhat boisterous conversation not far ahead first
brought us to an abrupt halt, and then caused us to retire precipitately
from the path to the shelter of some coffee bushes close at hand, behind
which we silently crouched until the speakers had passed on up the path.
They were Dominique and Juan, both somewhat the worse for drink, and
consequently speaking in a considerably louder key than was in the least
degree necessary. As they passed us and pursued their way up toward the
house it was not at all difficult to divine from their conversation the
fate which they had planned for Lotta, as well as for me.

The moment that they were far enough beyond us to permit of our doing so
with safety, we again emerged upon the path, down which we pursued our
way, silent as shadows, arriving, some ten minutes later, at the point
where it became necessary for us to turn off through the wood on our way
toward the cave. At this point I paused for a moment to look back at
the house, and as I di