d warmly, put down the cake without
taking out of it a semi-circular bite, and rose from his seat.

"I don't wish to play the spy, sir," he said haughtily. "I will go on
deck till you have finished your business."

"Sit down!" cried the skipper. "Sit down! What a young pepper-castor
you are! Mayn't a man think what he likes in his own cabin?"

"Certainly, sir; but of course I cannot help feeling that I am an
intruder."

"That's just what I feel, my boy, for coming in and disturbing you at
your meal. Sit down, I say. If anybody is going to leave the room, I
am that person; but I am not going to leave my cabin, so I tell you."

The skipper gave his son a peculiar look, his eyes twinkling the while.

"Think we can trust Mr Burnett here?" he said.

Fitz gave a start.

"Oh yes, father. He won't go and tell tales. He won't have a chance.
What was in that letter?"

"Just a few lines, my boy, to say that everything was going very wrong
at present, and begging me whatever I did to keep the schooner's cargo
out of Villarayo's hands, and to join Ramon as soon as I possibly can."

"But where, father? Both the towns are in the enemy's hands."

"At his hacienda at the mouth of the Oltec River."

"Hacienda?" said Poole. "That means a sort of farm, doesn't it,
father?"

"Yes, my boy, and of course that's just the sort of place to deliver a
cargo of such agricultural implements as we have brought on board. What
do you say, Mr Burnett?"

"Agricultural implements, sir? Why, Captain Glossop had notice that you
had taken in guns and ammunition."

"Oh yes; people do gossip so," said the skipper dryly. "I didn't
examine them much myself, but I know there were things with wheels."

"But there was a lot of powder, sir--kegs of it, I heard."

"Chemical manure perhaps, my lad; potash and charcoal and sulphur
perhaps to kill the blight. Must be innocent stuff, or else my old
friend Don Ramon would not want it at his farm."

"I don't understand," said the middy.

"Well, it doesn't matter," cried Poole, laughing. "Go on, father."

"That's what we are doing, my boy. But you go on with your breakfast,
Mr Burnett, and make a good one while you have a chance. We may be
getting news any minute that the gunboat is in sight; and if it is,
there's no knowing when we shall get a square meal again."

"But whereabouts is this Oltec River, father?"

"Well, as near as I can tell you, my boy, it's on the coast about thir