nchor, and was standing out into the
gulf stream. Marti, the smuggler, was on board, as her pilot; and
faithfully did he guide the ship, on the discharge of his treacherous
business, among the shoals and bays of the coast for nearly a month,
revealing every secret haunt of the rovers, exposing their most valuable
depots and well-selected rendezvous; and many a smuggling craft was
taken and destroyed. The amount of money and property thus secured was
very great; and Marti returned with the ship to claim his reward from
the governor-general, who, well satisfied with the manner in which the
rascal had fulfilled his agreement, and betrayed those comrades who were
too faithful to be tempted to treachery themselves, summoned Marti
before him.

"As you have faithfully performed your part of our agreement," said the
governor-general, "I am now prepared to comply with the articles on my
part. In this package you will find a free and unconditional pardon for
all your past offences against the laws. And here is an order on the
treasury for--"

"Excellency, excuse me. The pardon I gladly receive. As to the sum of
money you propose to give to me, let me make you a proposition. Retain
the money; and, in place of it, guarantee to me the right to fish in the
neighborhood of the city, and declare the trade in fish contraband to
all except my agents. This will richly repay me, and I will erect a
public market of stone at my own expense, which shall be an ornament to
the city, and which at the expiration of a specified number of years
shall revert to the government, with all right and title to the
fishery."

Tacon was pleased at the idea of a superb fish-market, which should
eventually revert to the government, and also at the idea of saving the
large sum of money covered by the promised reward. The singular
proposition of the smuggler was duly considered and acceded to, and
Marti was declared in legal form to possess for the future sole right to
fish in the neighborhood of the city, or to sell the article in any
form, and he at once assumed the rights that the order guaranteed to
him. Having in his roving life learned all the best fishing-grounds, he
furnished the city bountifully with the article, and reaped yearly an
immense profit, until, at the close of the period for which the monopoly
was granted, he was the richest man on the island. According to the
agreement, the fine market and its privilege reverted to the government
at th