water, and firearms,
and so be able, as they thought, to despoil me of my diamonds. Also Kidd
had hopes of falling in with Captain Hux, a worthy of the same kidney, who
commanded the "free-trader" Culebra, and whose favorite cruising-ground
was northward of San Ambrosio.

"But in my opinion," observed Mr. Yawl, coolly, when he had finished his
story, "in my opinion we passed south of the islands last night, and so I
told Kidd; they're very small, and as there's no lights, easy missed."

"We must be a long way from Callao, then. How far do you suppose?"

"That is more than I can tell; may be four hundred miles."

"And how long do you think it will take us to get there, assuming it to be
four hundred miles?"

"Well, on this tack and with this breeze--you see, sir, the wind has
fallen off a good deal since sunrise--with this breeze, about eight days."

"Eight days!" I exclaimed, in consternation. "Eight days! and I don't
think we have food and water enough for two. Come with me below, Ramon,
and let me see how much we have left."

CHAPTER XXXIII.

GRIEF AND PAIN.

It was even worse than I feared. Reckoning neither on a longer voyage than
five or six days nor on being so far from the coast that, in case of
emergency, we could not obtain fresh supplies, we had used both provisions
and water rather recklessly, and now I found that of the latter we had no
more than, at our recent rate of consumption, would last eighteen hours,
while of food we had as much as might suffice us for twenty-four. It was
necessary to reduce our allowance forthwith, and I put it to Yawl whether
we could not make for some nearer port than Callao. Better risk the loss
of my diamonds than die of hunger and thirst. Yawl's answer was
unfavorable. The nearest port of the coast as to distance was the farthest
as to time. To reach it, the wind being north by west, we should have to
make long fetches and frequent tacks, whereas Callao, or the coast
thereabout, could be reached by sailing due north. So there seemed nothing
for it but to economize our resources to the utmost and make all the speed
we could. Yet, do as we might, it was evident that, unless we could obtain
a supply of food and water from some passing ship we should have to put
ourselves on a starvation allowance. I was, however, much less concerned
for myself and the others, than for Angela. Accustomed as she had been to
a gentle, uneventful, happy life, the catastrophe of Quipa