hould the 'holy office' lay its hands upon you, keep up
heart. Be assured that I will risk all that I am worth, and my
life, to boot, to save you from it."

"Would you advise us to fly?" Ned said. "We can without doubt
escape from here, for we are but lightly guarded; and the governor,
I am sure, is friendly towards us."

"Whither would you fly?" asked the young Spaniard.

"We would cross the mountains to the plains, and join the Indians
there."

"It would be a wretched life," the Spaniard said, "and would cut
you off from all kindred, and friends. I can give you no advice. To
me, I confess, death would be preferable, even in its worst forms.
But to you, fond of exercise, and able to cause yourself to be
respected, and feared, by the wild Indians of the Pampas, it might
be different.

"However, you need not decide, yet. I trust that, even should the
worst befall you, I may be able, at the last moment, to give you
the opportunity of choosing that life, in preference to death in
the dungeons of the Inquisition."

It was about ten days from the date of the governor's writing that
a ship came in from Lima, and the same evening the governor came in
to them, with a grave face. He was attended by two officials,
dressed in the deepest black.

"Senors," he said, "it is my duty, in the first place, to inform
you that the governor of Lima, acting upon the report, which I sent
him, of the bravery which you manifested in the matter of the wreck
here, has agreed to withdraw all question against you, touching
your past connection with the English freebooters; and to allow you
freedom, without let or hindrance, and to further your passage to
such place as opportunity may afford, and where you may be able to
meet with a ship from your own country. That is all I have to say
to you."

Then the men in black stepped forward and said, "We arrest you, in
the name of the holy Inquisition, on the charge of heresy."

The young men glanced at the governor, believing that he was
sufficiently their friend to give them a sign, if resistance would
be of any avail. He replied to the unspoken question by an almost
imperceptible shake of the head; and it was well that the boys
abandoned the idea, for the door opened and a guard of six men,
armed to the teeth, although in plain dark clothes, entered. These
were the alguazils of the holy office, the birds of night, whose
appearance was dreaded even by the most bigoted Spaniards; and at
whose