er
examination.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

As every one descants upon the want of comfort in a prison, it is to be
presumed that there are no very comfortable ones. Certainly that to
which Philip and Krantz were ushered, had anything rather than the air
of an agreeable residence. It was under the fort, with a very small
aperture looking towards the sea, for light and air. It was very hot
and moreover destitute of all those little conveniences which add so
much to one's happiness in modern houses and hotels. In fact, it
consisted of four bare walls, and a stone floor, and that was all.

Philip, who wished to make some inquiries relative to Amine, addressed,
in Portuguese, the soldier who brought them down.

"My good friend, I beg your pardon--"

"I beg yours," replied the soldier, going out of the door, and locking
them in.

Philip leant gloomily against the wall; Krantz, more mercurial, walked
up and down three steps each way and turn.

"Do you know what I am thinking of?" observed Krantz, after a pause in
his walk. "It is very fortunate that (lowering his voice) we have all
our doubloons about us; if they don't search us, we may yet get away by
bribing."

"And I was thinking," rejoined Philip, "that I would sooner be here than
in company with that wretch Schriften, whose sight is poison to me."

"I did not much admire the appearance of the Commandant; but I suppose
we shall know more to-morrow."

Here they were interrupted by the turning of the key, and the entrance
of a soldier with a chatty of water, and a large dish of boiled rice.
He was not the man who had brought them to the dungeon, and Philip
accosted him.

"You have had hard work within these last two days?"

"Yes, indeed! signor."

"The natives forced us to join the expedition, and we escaped."

"So I heard you say, signor."

"They lost nearly a thousand men," said Krantz.

"Holy St. Francis! I am glad of it."

"They will be careful how they attack Portuguese in a hurry, I expect,"
rejoined Krantz.

"I think so," replied the soldier.

"Did you lose many men?" ventured Philip, perceiving that the man was
loquacious.

"Not ten of our own people. In the factory there were about a hundred
of the natives, with some women and children; but that is of no
consequence."

"You had a young European woman here, I understand," said Philip with
anxiety; "one who was wrecked in a vessel--was she among those who were
lost?"

"Young woman