rable sinner. But you'll take me away with you, sir;
you'll not leave me aboard here to fall into the hands of my enemies
again? Sir, sir, you are an Englishman, you say, and your tongue is
English. You have a kind, good face. Sir, take me with you, and make
me your slave if you will, but let me not fall into the hands of those
incarnate fiends the Spaniards again."

"Have no fear, my good fellow," answered I. "Of course we will take you
with us, not as a slave, but as a shipmate if you will. But you have
not yet answered the question I asked you. Who are you? And what ship
is this?"

"Who am I?" he repeated, staring wildly at me. "Why, I used to be
called Isaac Hoard to home in Exmouth, and among my shipmates, but for
the last five years, ever since I've been in the hands of the accursed
Spaniards, I've known no other name than `heretico'."

"And the ship," I reiterated; "is she Spanish?"

"Yes, sir; she is Spanish," answered the poor fellow, who looked half-
mad as well as haggard, and thin almost like a skeleton. "She was a
fine frigate forty-eight hours ago, named the _Magdalena_; now the
vengeance of God has fallen upon her and her crew, and she lies a wreck,
while every one of them has perished and gone to his own place."

"And how happens it that you survive while all the rest of the crew have
perished?" I demanded.

"By the mercy of God and the inhumanity of the Spaniards," he answered.
"They made me a slave of the crew, at whose every beck and call I was
from the beginning of the morning watch until four bells in the first
watch; and when my day's work was over they used to lock me into a cell
under the forecastle. So that when the ship struck I was unable to rush
on deck with the rest of them, and so my life was saved."

"Well," said I, "it appears that you have a story to tell that may be
well worth listening to at some future time. Now, tell me, do you know
where this frigate was last from, and whither she was bound?"

"Yes," answered Hoard, "I can tell you that, sir. She sailed from
Cartagena five days ago, and was bound to Cadiz with despatches; at
least such was the talk among the crew."

"With despatches!" I ejaculated. "Good! Now, do you happen to know
where those despatches are to be found?"

"No, sir; that I don't," answered Hoard. "I've never been abaft the
mainmast until to-day, if you'll believe me; and I don't even know the
cap'n's name. But I expect his despatches wi