stated the case in hand to them.
'Now, my men,' said he, 'which of you will volunteer to go with Don
Pedro Garcia and Mr. Stewart?'

"Every man offered his services. We chose six lusty fellows, and
supplied them with pistols and cutlasses. Don Pedro gave them a
doubloon a-piece, and to each of the rest of the crew a smaller sum.
At eleven o'clock we descended into the boat and pushed off for the
shore. The night had set in dark and rainy, with a strong breeze,
almost a gale, from the south. The men rowed in silence and with
vigor, but the wind was ahead for us, and when we landed at the end of
the mole, behind a row of molasses-hogsheads, it wanted but a few
moments of twelve. Leaving two men for boat-keepers, Don Pedro and
myself, with the other four, traversed the silent streets until we
stopped in a dark lane, in the rear of a large house, which appeared
to front upon a more frequented street, for even at that late hour a
carriage occasionally was heard.

"'Now, hist!' whispered Pedro, 'listen for footsteps.'

"We strained our ears, but heard nothing but the clang of the
deep-toned cathedral bell, striking the hour of twelve. A moment after
a window above us opened, and a female form stepped out upon the
balcony.

"'Pedro, whispered the musical voice of Clara, 'is that you?'

"'Yes, yes--hush! Mr. Stewart is here, and some of his men. Are you
all ready?'

"'Yes,' replied Clara; 'but how am I going to descend?'

"'Catch this line, which I will throw to you,' said I, making a coil.

"The fair girl caught the line as handily as--as--a monkey, I suppose
I must say.

"'Now, haul away,' I said; 'there is a ladder bent on to the other
end, which you must make fast to the balustrade.'

"'What!' cried Clara, quite aloud, 'a ladder!--a real, live
rope-ladder! how delightfully romantic!'

"'Hush! hush! you lunatic!' said Pedro, in a hoarse whisper.

"'Oh, Pedro!' continued his sister, 'just think how droll it is to run
away with one's lover, and one's brother standing by aiding and
abetting! Oh, fie! I'm ashamed of you! There, now, I've fastened this
delightful ladder--what next?'

"I ascended, and taking her in my arms, prepared to assist her to the
ground.

"'Am I not heavy?' she asked, as she put her arms about my neck.

"My God! boys, I could have lifted twenty of her as I felt then.

"'This is the second time, senor, that you have helped me to the
ground within a week; now get me on the water, and I w