of the
Commandant, the same little man who had made love to Amine, and as
they were dressed in Mussulman's attire, he was about to order them to
be hung, when Philip told him that they were Dutchmen, who had been
wrecked, and forced by the King of Ternate to join his expedition;
that they had taken the earliest opportunity of escaping, as was very
evident since those who had been thrown on shore with them had got off
in the island boats, while they chose to remain. Whereupon the little
Portuguese Commandant struck his sword firm down on the pavement of
the ramparts, _looked_ very big, and then ordered them to prison for
further examination.

Chapter XXXI

As every one descants upon the want of comfort in a prison, it is to
be presumed that there are no very comfortable ones. Certainly that to
which Philip and Krantz were ushered, had anything rather than the air
of an agreeable residence. It was under the fort, with a very small
aperture looking towards the sea, for light and air. It was very hot,
and moreover destitute of all those little conveniences which add
so much to one's happiness in modern houses and hotels. In fact, it
consisted of four bare walls, and a stone floor, and that was all.

Philip, who wished to make some inquiries relative to Amine,
addressed, in Portuguese, the soldier who brought them down.

"My good friend, I beg your pardon--"

"I beg yours," replied the soldier going out of the door, and locking
them in.

Philip leant gloomily against the wall; Krantz, more mercurial, walked
up and down three steps each way and turn.

"Do you know what I am thinking of?" observed Krantz, after a pause in
his walk. "It is very fortunate that (lowering his voice) we have all
our doubloons about us; if they don't search us, we may yet get away
by bribing."

"And I was thinking," rejoined Philip, "that I would sooner be here
than in company with that wretch Schriften, whose sight is poison to
me."

"I did not much admire the appearance of the Commandant, but I suppose
we shall know more to-morrow."

Here they were interrupted by the turning of the key, and the entrance
of a soldier with a chatty of water, and a large dish of boiled rice.
He was not the man who had brought them to the dungeon, and Philip
accosted him.

"You have had hard work within these last two days?"

"Yes, indeed! signor."

"The natives forced us to join the expedition, and we escaped."

"So I heard you say, signor