ly understood the
whole drift of this singular conversation, "a little over a week, if the
weather remains favourable. When you say that the entrance is
difficult, do you refer to the Barcos Channel more particularly or
to--?"

"Oh no!" was the reply; "that is easy enough--for a small vessel of
light draught, that is to say--although there are one or two awkward
places there which I will point out to you; but it is the entrance to
the lagoon itself which will give you the most trouble."

"Precisely; that is what we have been given to understand," said
Courtenay, addressing himself to us both. "I presume you have a chart
of the place?"

"No," said our friend; "the place has never yet been surveyed, and
Giuseppe will not permit anyone to sound anywhere within the entrance to
the lagoon. I told the captain-general this when he asked me the same
question. Did he not mention this to you?"

"No, he did not," said Courtenay, with all the seriousness imaginable;
"he never said a word to me about it. Did he mention it to you?" with a
glance across the table at me.

"Not a word," said I. "I suppose he forgot it in his hurry. You must
understand," I continued, turning to the unknown one, "that so far as
_we_ are concerned, this business has been arranged in the most hurried
manner, and we must look to you for enlightenment upon any points which
the captain-general may have omitted to explain to us."

"Oh, yes! assuredly, senors, assuredly," was the satisfactory reply.
"It is part of my bargain, you know."

"Quite so," chimed in Courtenay. "And if, as my friend and I talk the
matter over, we happen to come to something which is not altogether
clear, we will not fail to apply to you. By the by, do you happen to
have such a thing as a decent cigar on board this smart little felucca
of yours?"

Our interlocutor glanced from one to the other of us with a merry
twinkle in his eye, as though Courtenay's innocent inquiry veiled the
best joke he had heard for a long time.

"A decent cigar!" said he. "Ha! ha! if I have not, then I don't know
where else you should look for one, gentlemen. Allow me." And, pushing
past me to the after part of the locker, he raised a lid and produced a
box of weeds which he laid upon the table. Then, with an awkward bow,
he said, as he made for the companion-ladder:

"If you have finished breakfast, gentlemen, I will send Francisco down
to clear the table."

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

CA