the
captain said.

"Yes, too heavy altogether. We must knock the heads in on the shore, fill
the contents into the sacking that holds the clothes, carry them on our
backs to the foot of the falls, and then sling them up. There are any
number of bales, so that they can remain up here until we get the empty
barrels up, and fill in the stuff again. It will be time enough to set to
work at our fence when we have got everything up."

A week later they were established in their new camp. The sugar, coffee,
and other articles were all repacked in the casks, which were headed up
again to protect them from the weather and the assaults of insects,
portions sufficient for a week's consumption only being left out. The
labour had been great, but the Peruvian captain seconded Stephen's efforts
well. The steward, however, grumbled frequently, and had many times to be
spoken to sharply by the captain. Another week was spent in fortifying the
position. Young trees were cut down and stuck in the earth two feet apart
in the intervals between the trees. A wattle-work of the tough thorny
creepers was interwoven across the little promontory, eight feet high.
This was painful work, for, however careful they were, they frequently
tore their hands with the spikes.

When this was done a similar defence was made along at the edge of the
water to within a short distance of the falls. This was carried to the
height of five feet only. A tent had been erected with canvas brought from
the wreck, thrown over a pole, fixed between two trees, and in a smaller
one by its side the barrels were stowed.

"Now, captain," Stephen said, as they spent a day in absolute rest after
their labours, "there is one more thing to be done."

"What is that, senor?"

"It is that gold. You said there were five hundred thousand dollars, which
comes to a hundred thousand pounds in our money. That, as we know, is
lying safely in the stern, for we looked the day after the wreck. So long
as it is there it is safe enough, but the next storm that comes will
certainly smash up the wreck altogether, and the boxes may be swept into
the deep water between her and the shore. Now at the present moment we may
consider that gold to be common property. If a Spanish ship ever comes
here she will, of course, capture it; if, on the other hand, an English or
a Chilian vessel arrives, I shall hand it over to them as their lawful
prize. If neither of them come, which is most likely by far