marks about the
young commander, and the mother shrewdly determined to question her upon
the theme, and to weigh well her answers.

"Captain Ratlin is very friendly to you, I suppose, Maud?" said Mrs.
Huntington.

"He is friendly to father, and that is the same thing," she replied,
simply.

"Has he not brought you presents across the ocean?" continued the
mother.

"One," said Maud, with evident pleasure, rolling back a long sleeve, and
discovering to her new-made friends a rich golden bracelet, set with
pearls, a rare and beautiful ornament.

"This is indeed beautiful," said the mother.

Mrs. Huntington examined the jewel, while her daughter turned
thoughtfully away! She could not be mistaken; she saw at once that this
rude, uncultivated girl loved the commander of the "Sea Witch," nor did
she wonder at such a fact; but yet she found herself musing and asking
within her own mind whether such a being could make him happy as a wife.
She felt that he was worthy of better companionship, and that,
notwithstanding Maud evidently loved him, he could hardly entertain any
peculiar regard for her. Could he have deceived the girl? she thought.
No, deceit was no part of his nature; that she felt sure of, and thus
she mused alone to herself, placing the relationship of the two in all
manner of lights, until she saw him again.

Having moored the "Sea Witch" safely amid the jungle of one of the many
winding rivers that indent the coast of Africa, and sent down her upper
spars to prevent her from being discovered by any exhibition of the
top-hamper above the trees and jungle growth, Captain Ratlin left his
crew under charge of the first officer, Mr. Faulkner, and returned once
more to the seaboard and the establishment of Don Leonardo. Here it
would be necessary for him to remain for a week or more, while the
Spaniard sent his runners inland to the chiefs of the various coast
tribes to forward the prisoners of war to his barracoons. This period of
time was passed in various domestic amusements, in observing the sports
and games of the natives, their habits, and studying their
nationalities--for the slaves in Don Leonardo's barracoons represented a
score of different tribes, each characteristic of its origin.

Mrs. Huntington regarded Captain Ratlin's intercourse with Maud with
much interest, which she did not attempt to disguise, while her daughter
did so under the disguise of indifference, but with the most intense
interest