at last they got back to their prison. Messes
somewhat similar to those they had in the morning were again brought to
them. Norris asked the man if they could not purchase something better,
and offered a dollar if he would bring them some fruit.

"Stop a little, and I will see what can be done," he answered in
Portuguese.

An hour or two more passed, by which time the people had gone away, when
the same man again appeared at the window, and bringing a large basket
of oranges and other fruit, he asked for the dollar.

"You shall have it when you have given us its value in fruit, but not
until then, my friend," answered Norris, holding it up.

The man, knowing that they could not run away, thought that he might
trust them, and threw the oranges, and limes, and grapes, and other
fruit through the bars of the window, when they were eagerly caught by
the thirsty prisoners.

The fruit was not worth a quarter the sum the man received, so he was
well contented, and signified that he would bring some more next day.

For a second night they were shut up; they could only hope that Sangaree
Jack would prove faithful, and inform their friends of the treatment
they had received.

"But suppose he does not?" said Desmond; "we may be kept here till we
starve."

"No great fear of that," said Higson. "Rogers and several others know
that we were going up the harbour; and if we don't appear, boats will be
sent to look for us before long."

The following morning better provisions were sent to them, and not long
afterwards they were again marched up to the court-house. The same
farce as on the previous day was gone through, and no interpreter
appearing, the judge and his assistants left the court as wise as they
entered it, while the prisoners were unable to make out of what crime
they were accused. It was just possible that they might have been sent
out and shot, had not the judge entertained some strong suspicions that
their account of themselves was true, and that if they were ill-treated,
he and the inhabitants of his village would be made seriously to suffer.
However, once more they were sent back to prison, very naturally
considerably indignant at the scandalous way in which they were being
treated. Some of the party, indeed, began to entertain doubts whether
Sangaree Jack would prove faithful. Perhaps being a cunning fellow, he
might be contented with the fifteen dollars, and avoid the risk he might
run of being puni