Spaniard's
shoulder, "think again. Whatever harm you have done to Mrs. Tracey has
been amply atoned for. The law may recognise that, or it may not. The
captain of the man-of-war himself thinks that it would be as well for
you to leave the ship before we get to Sydney. And remember that I and
Mrs. Tracey, who are your sincere friends, will have to appear against
you. This would be distressing to us both, Manuel."

"I am prepared to suffer for what I have done, captain," answered the
Spaniard quietly, "and when I come out of prison I shall come to you
and Mrs. Tracey and ask you to forget that I was Manuel Barradas, the
fellow-criminal of Rawlings and the Greek, and ask you to only remember
that I have tried to undo some of the wrong I have done."

"As you please, Manuel. But in me you will ever have a firm friend,
even though you will force me to be an accuser."

CHAPTER XVII.

BARRY RECEIVES A "STIFFENER."

One day, nearly a month after the brig had spoken the _Reynard_, old
Watson walked into the big room of the Sydney Merchants' Exchange, as
he had done the first thing every morning for some weeks, and scanned
the "arrivals" board. For the letters which Barry had written to him
and Rose Maynard had come safely to hand nearly six weeks before.

Almost the first notice that met his eye was this:--

"_Brig flying Hawaiian Islands and British colours entered 8.45._"

The old man tossed his hat up to the ceiling, and gave a loud hurrah.

"Hallo, Watson, what's up?" said a seafaring friend named Craig, whom
he ran up against at the door and nearly knocked down, in his eagerness
to get out again.

"That brig I was looking out for has just come in. Her skipper is a
friend of mine, and although he's been mighty lucky, I've rotten bad
news for him, and wish some one else could tell it to him. Damn all
women, I say!--leastways, all those who don't stick to the man who
stuck to them."

"What's wrong, Watson?"

"Damn them all, I say!" repeated the old sailor in his deep, rumbling
tones. "Here's as fine a sailor man as ever trod a deck coming into
port to find the girl that was sworn to him another man's wife! Isn't
that enough to make a man say 'Damn all women!' including the bad with
the good?--not that this one is one of the bad lot, though."

"If I was served like that I'd make it mighty hot for the man who cut
me out," said Craig, as they descended the steps of the Exchange, and
by mutual intui