is patient, convinced Stukely
that his friend Dick had sustained a very serious injury to the head
which had so far affected the brain that it would be several days at
least before the young man could possibly be moved! Meanwhile, what was
happening to the ship and the rest of the crew?

That was a question that could not be answered just then, for the old
lady, who, for some mysterious reason, had chosen to play the part of
Good Samaritan, could not speak a word of English, while Stukely spoke
no Spanish; and as for venturing outside the house in quest of
information, that was obviously impossible, for two excellent reasons;
the first being that Dick's condition was such that he could not
possibly be left, even for so short a time as half an hour; while the
other equally good reason was that to venture into the street would be
to invite immediate assassination.

Well, Stukely told himself, matters could not be helped; Dick and he
were the victims of circumstance, and there was nothing for it but to
submit, with the best grace possible. And so far as their future was
concerned, that must take care of itself. Sufficient unto the day is
the anxiety thereof. So, with the elderly dame's assistance, he devoted
himself to the task of doing what he could to relieve and help Dick,
philosophically leaving the future to take care of itself.

Presently it became too dark to see, and the old lady went to the door
of the room and called. Two female voices replied; and a few minutes
later two young women entered, one bearing a lighted oil lamp, while the
other carried a tray upon which were set out a bowl of soup, a dish
containing some roast ribs of kid, some heads of young Indian corn
boiled, a loaf of bread, and a flask of wine. These viands were placed
upon a table together with the lamp, and the young women retired again,
after indicating by signs that the food was intended for the two
Englishmen.

Dick's hurt proved to be very much more serious than was at first
supposed; he became delirious; and for a whole week Phil was kept busy,
night and day, constantly attending to him, his watch being shared by
the old lady and her two daughters, who proved extraordinarily kind and
solicitous. Then the patient began to mend, slowly; and the young
women--who proved to be twins, named respectively Clara and Dolores--did
their best to beguile the time for their two guests by teaching them
Spanish. And remarkably efficient teache