d him
of the futility of further dispute on his part. Then he suddenly
desisted and, seizing me by the arm, dragged me away to a spot where we
were somewhat isolated from the rest of the camp, where he left me in
charge of his companions Jose and Miguel while he went off elsewhere.
His absence, however, was of but brief duration, for presently he
returned, followed by two other negroes who bore in a large calabash an
ample supply of boiled rice, roasted yams, and substantial portions of
roast goat mutton, which they deposited on the ground within easy reach
of us before they departed and left us to ourselves.

As soon as they had gone fairly out of ear-shot Carlos turned to me and,
pointing to the provisions, said, as he released me from my bonds:

"Help yourself, and eat freely, Senor Englishman, for we have a long
march before we are likely to again see a decent meal."

"Indeed!" I exclaimed. "Is your camp, or head-quarters, or whatever
you call it, so far off, then, as that would seem to imply?"

"We are not going to head-quarters," he replied rather tartly; "and you
may thank the good God that it is so; for, whatever may be your mode of
death, you may accept my assurance that it will not be anything like so
protracted or unpleasant as that which awaited you among the mountains
yonder."

"Well," said I, "that at least is good hearing. But if we are not going
to head-quarters, pray where are we going?"

"My orders from Mateo, our new chief--whose beauty doubtless impressed
you," he replied, with a grin, "are to conduct you down to the coast and
deliver you over to his very good friend Manuel Garcia, the pirate,
whose schooner _Tiburon_ you and your crew punished so severely when--
according to your own admission, mind--you engaged her some little time
ago. Mateo is under the impression that Garcia would be peculiarly
gratified to find in his power the officer who commanded the schooner
which mauled the _Tiburon_ so severely; so, as you have confessed that
you are the man, he has decided to make a present of you to his friend,
and to take the risk of the rumpus that will certainly arise when the
band learns that it is not to have the pleasure of amusing itself with
you."

"And how far is your friend Garcia's lair from here?" I demanded.

"Not very far," was the answer. "But it will take us until close upon
sunset to do the distance, because Mateo prefers that we should not
start until the rest of the ba