emblance than I did.

Courtenay and I glanced at each other in surprise, but neither of us
said a word.

"_Muchisimos gracias_ for your honoured invitation, excellencies," said
our friend, again bowing awkwardly, as he slid into a seat at the head
of the table, leaving Courtenay and me to stow ourselves on the lockers,
one on each side of him. "I am gratified to learn from Francisco that
you rested soundly during the night I was afraid the motion of the
felucca would prove disagreeable to you. We have had a fine breeze from
the eastward all night, and La Guayra is now nearly a hundred miles
astern of us."

"That is good news," I remarked. "But why should you have anticipated
any evil results to us from the motion of the craft? Are you not aware
that we are pretty well seasoned sailors?"

"No," said our companion; "I was not aware of it. When I urged the
captain-general to send naval officers I understood him to say that he
had none available for the service, but that he would send two officers
of marines. I did not like his proposal, and I am very glad to find
that he has thought better of it. What can a soldier--even though he be
a marine--know about soundings, and bearings, and sea-marks? And the
entrance to the place is very difficult indeed, as you will see,
gentlemen, when we come to it."

"What in the world is the man talking about?" thought I, glancing across
the table at Courtenay to see what he thought of it. That irrepressible
young gentleman elevated his eyebrows inquiringly, tipped me a wink of
preternatural significance with his left eye--our host was sitting on
Courtenay's starboard hand--and then devoted himself most assiduously to
the red snapper off which he was breakfasting.

"How long do you reckon it will take us to make the run?" I asked, with
the view of maintaining the conversation rather than because of my
comprehension of it.

"Well," said our picturesque friend, "let me reckon. To-day is
Thursday. If this breeze holds steady we ought to be off Cape Irois
about daybreak next Wednesday morning. Then, unless the wind heads us,
we may hope to weather Cape Maysi about sunset the same day; after which
we may expect to have the breeze well on our starboard quarter, which
will enable us to complete the run in good time to pass through the
Barcos Channel and reach our anchorage before nightfall on the following
Friday evening."

"Ah!" remarked Courtenay, as coolly as though he ful