ntly, and at length answered in the affirmative,
pointing out the route which it would be necessary to follow, and then,
after a little further pregnant conversation, the two rose and returned
to where the rest of the party lay _perdu_.

In conversation with Lukabela, George had already learned from the
Cimarrone that, from information derived by the latter from certain
runaway slaves, the citizens of Panama were somewhat addicted to the
keeping of late hours, as late hours were counted in those days, that is
to say, the more gay and pleasure-loving of the Panamans rarely thought
of seeking their couches before midnight; Saint Leger, therefore,
determined to remain where he was until that hour in order that his
arrival in the city might be deferred until its roysterers were all
safely in bed and asleep; also, there was in all probability a somewhat
strenuous time before the Englishmen, and some unlikelihood as to when
they might reckon upon another night's undisturbed rest; upon his return
to camp, therefore, George issued an order that every man was to compose
himself to rest and get as much sleep as possible, the only breaks in
these periods of rest being at the appointed meal times. But the young
captain had by this time become wise in the art of warfare, consequently
he took the precaution to protect his camp from surprise by throwing out
strong pickets of Cimarrones in every direction from which surprise
could possibly come; and, this done, the expedition composed itself to
rest.

It was about five o'clock in the evening that George was awakened by a
light touch upon his shoulder, and, springing up, he found Lukabela
bending over him with his finger to his lips.

"What is it, chief?" demanded George in a whisper.

"Come and see," replied the Cimarrone in an equally guarded tone of
voice; whereupon George arose and, led by the black, noiselessly quitted
the sleeping camp and made his way to a small knoll in the open,
commanding a fairly comprehensive view of the city and roadstead.

As the pair crept cautiously to the summit of the knoll and peered over
it, Lukabela pointed with his finger and murmured "Behold!" And,
looking in the direction toward which the chief was pointing, George
beheld a noble and stately galleon standing in toward the anchorage with
ensigns and pennons flying from her mastheads, and with a large galley
acting as escort to her. The galleon was an exceptionally large vessel,
being, as S