occurred in the life on board, which proceeded with
almost methodical regularity.

Fragoso, urged on by Lina, did not cease to watch Torres.

Many times he tried to get him to talk about his past life, but
the adventurer eluded all conversation on the subject, and ended by
maintaining a strict reserve toward the barber.

After catching a glimpse of the hamlet of Tahua-Miri, mounted on its
piles as on stilts, as a protection against inundation from the floods,
which often sweep up and over these low sand banks, the raft was moored
for the night.

His intercourse with the Garral family remained the same. If he spoke
little to Joam, he addressed himself more willingly to Yaquita and her
daughter, and appeared not to notice the evident coolness with which
he was received. They all agreed that when the raft arrived at Manaos,
Torres should leave it, and that they would never speak of him again.
Yaquita followed the advice of Padre Passanha, who counseled patience,
but the good priest had not such an easy task in Manoel, who was quite
disposed to put on shore the intruder who had been so unfortunately
taken on to the raft.

The only thing that happened on this evening was the following:

A pirogue, going down the river, came alongside the jangada, after being
hailed by Joam Garral.

"Are you going to Manaos?" asked he of the Indian who commanded and was
steering her.

"Yes," replied he.

"When will you get there?"

"In eight days."

"Then you will arrive before we shall. Will you deliver a letter for
me?"

"With pleasure."

"Take this letter, then, my friend, and deliver it at Manaos."

The Indian took the letter which Joam gave him, and a handful of reis
was the price of the commission he had undertaken.

No members of the family, then gone into the house, knew anything
of this. Torres was the only witness. He heard a few words exchanged
between Joam and the Indian, and from the cloud which passed over his
face it was easy to see that the sending of this letter considerably
surprised him.

CHAPTER XVII. AN ATTACK

HOWEVER, if Manoel, to avoid giving rise to a violent scene on
board, said nothing on the subject of Torres, he resolved to have an
explanation with Benito.

"Benito," he began, after taking him to the bow of the jangada, "I have
something to say to you."

Benito, generally so good-humored, stopped as he looked at Manoel, and a
cloud came over his countenance.

"I know why," he sa