done to
risk lighting a fire for the mere pleasure of having hot chocolate for
breakfast, lest some errant wreath of smoke should betray the locality
of our hiding place, and lead to a search that might possibly result in
our capture. But, cold though the meal was, it was none the less
welcome; and when we had finished I rose to my feet with the
announcement that I intended to go forth upon a reconnoitring
expedition. Against this decision Lotta at once protested most
vigorously, in which protest she was joined by Fonseca, who very
generously offered to go in my stead. He declared that in the untoward
event of an unavoidable encounter with any of the men, the consequences
to me would certainly be fatal, while for him they would probably amount
to nothing worse than a somewhat severe cross-questioning as to how he
managed to get ashore without using a boat, and what were his reasons
for such extraordinary haste. These questions he believed he could
answer satisfactorily without difficulty. But I was anxious to get all
my information at first hand, to see everything with my own eyes, in
order that I might be able to frame my plans with certainty. I
therefore put aside their objections, and, forbidding any of them to
leave the cave until my return, sallied forth, observing every possible
precaution against being seen or being taken unawares.

Upon emerging from the entrance to the cave, after having first taken a
most careful look round, I made my way, with much circumspection, to the
crown of a high knoll or ness, jutting out a little way into the bay,
from which I believed I should be able to get a good view of the "yard",
and ascertain, in the first instance, what might be happening in that
direction. The crest of this knoll was crowned with a thick and
tolerably extensive clump of bushes, screened by which I hoped to be
able both to see and hear anything that might happen to be transpiring
among the various sheds, and at the same time to keep an eye upon the
brig where she lay at her buoy, about half a mile from the shore. When,
however, I reached my hiding place I was disappointed to find that I was
considerably farther away from the wharf and the buildings than I had
expected; and that while I could see pretty well what was happening down
there, as well as command an excellent view of the brig, I could hear
nothing save an occasional shout; and it was even more upon what I
should hear than upon what I should