y moored, but left with painter
loose; and do not wonder it went adrift. They care little, indeed
nothing, and think of it no longer; but, stripping, plunge into the
surf.

After bathing to their hearts' content, they return to the cavern, and
array themselves in garments befitted to the life they intend leading.
Their tarry togs are cast off, to be altogether abandoned; for each has
a suit of shore clothes, brought away from the barque.

Every one rigged out in his own peculiar style, and breakfast
despatched, they draw together to deliberate on a plan of future action.
But first the matter of greatest moment--the partition of the spoils.

It is made in little time, and with no great trouble. The boxes are
broken open, and the gold-dust measured out in a pannikin; a like number
of measures apportioned to each.

In money value no one can tell the exact amount of his share. Enough
satisfaction to know it is nigh as much as he can carry.

After each has appropriated his own, they commence packing up, and
preparing for the inland journey. And next arises the question, what
way are they to go?

They have already resolved to strike for the city of Santiago; but in
what order should they travel? Separate into several parties, or go all
together?

The former plan, proposed by Gomez, is supported by Padilla, Hernandez,
and Velarde. Gomez gives his reasons. Such a large number of
pedestrians along roads where none save horsemen are ever seen, could
not fail to excite surprise. It might cause inconvenient questions to
be asked them--perhaps lead to their being arrested, and taken before
some village _alcalde_. And what story could they tell?

On the other hand, there will be the chance of coming across Indians;
and as those on the Veraguan coast are ranked among the "bravos"--having
preserved their independence, and along with it their instinctive
hostility to the whites--an encounter with them might be even more
dangerous than with any _alcalde_. Struggling along in squads of two or
three, they would run a risk of getting captured, or killed, or
scalped--perhaps all three.

This is the suggestion of Harry Blew, Striker and Davis alone favouring
his view. All the others go against it, Gomez ridiculing the idea of
danger from red men; at the same time enlarging on that to be
apprehended from white ones.

As the majority have more reason to fear civilised man than the
so-called savage, it ends in their decid