ng, convinced me that she was actually
none other than the _Daphne_. Another look--I could just distinguish
her against the soft velvety blue-black background of the darkening sea,
but I saw enough to satisfy me of the correctness of my surmise, and
saw, too, that--happy chance--she was clewing up her courses as though
about to lay-to or anchor off the mouth of the river for the night.
Then, as she faded more and more and finally vanished from the field of
the telescope, I closed the instrument and proceeded to carefully
replace it in its case. By the time that I had done this the glow of
the western horizon had faded into sober grey, the sky overhead had
deepened into a magnificent sapphire blue and was already becoming
thickly studded with stars, the forest around and below me had merged
into a great shapeless mass of olive-black foliage, out of the depths of
which arose the deafening _whir_ of countless millions of insects; and
the conclusion forced itself upon me that it was high time I should see
about effecting a descent from my lofty perch if I wished to do so in
safety. I had no sooner scrambled down into the body of the tree than I
found myself in complete darkness, and it was with the utmost difficulty
and no little danger that I accomplished the remainder of the descent.
However, I managed at last to reach the ground without mishap, and,
taking up my gun--which I had placed against the trunk of the tree, and
without which, acting upon Don Manuel's advice, I never ventured into
the forest--I turned my face homeward, anxious to find Smellie and
acquaint him with the state of affairs without a moment's unnecessary
delay.

In due time I reached the gate in the palisading which surrounded Don
Manuel's garden and passed through. In the brilliant star-light the
sandy path which led up to the house was distinctly visible between the
rows of coffee and other trees, and so also were two figures, a short
distance ahead of me, sauntering along it toward the house, with their
backs turned to me. They were evidently male and female, and were
walking very closely together, so much so indeed that I felt almost
certain that the arm of the taller of the two figures must be encircling
the waist of the other, and from the height of the one and the white
gleaming garments of the other I at once came to the conclusion that
they were Smellie and Dona Antonia. My footsteps were of course quite
inaudible on the light sandy soil