e bank and police headquarters, hanging
about for a few minutes to see if there was anything suspicious, but
there was nothing, and each time I hastened back to Mac.

Our presence cheered him up, and he could not brook our absence. At last
the long day drew to an end and the shadows, to our intense relief,
began to darken in our little room, where we were holding our watch. The
tropic night closes quickly in. Soon the city was shrouded in darkness,
and we sallied out to the beach at the head of the bay to find relief in
movement. The time passed quicker then, and at last we sat down on some
wreckage there and watched the tropic night as it revealed its wealth of
stars, and sitting there we began to philosophize, moralizing upon the
destiny of man and his relations to things seen and unseen, upon
spiritual force; most of all upon divine justice, which in the end evens
up all things. But like so many other philosophers who write the style
of the gods and make a pish at fortune, we failed to make a personal
application of our philosophy.

Near by there was a boat stand from which we had resolved to embark for
the steamer about two miles away. The night was lovely as a dream, and
we knew that midnight would find a large number of passengers on deck,
many of whom would pass the night there. Forward was all the bustle and
confusion inseparable from receiving and stowing cargo.

At 9 o'clock I left them to go and get the remainder of the gold not yet
on board--some four thousand pounds. The street cars passed near by, and
within half an hour I returned with the gold in a bag swung from my
shoulder by a heavy strap. I also had with me a woman's wrap and a silk
shawl. We sat for an hour longer, and then securing a boat with two
negro rowers, we pulled for the ship. Three or four small boats were
fastened to the companion ladder, and our arrival attracted no
attention. Two officials in uniform--probably custom officers--stood at
the companion way. It was an anxious moment, but we slipped through the
dimly lighted cabins and passages, and were soon safely in the
stateroom. Bidding both good-bye, and promising to be on board again at
8 in the morning, I went ashore and straight to bed, and soon was
dreaming of starlit seas, of tropic woods and Summer bowers, white and
sweet with May blossoms. My health then, as now, was perfect, and I
awoke fresh and hopeful. After breakfasting on a dish of prawns and
another of soft-shelled crab