of Simon's, and three sailors from the fruiter.

"Go up, Simon," called the mate, "and find Dr. Gregg or Mr. Goodwin
or anybody that's a friend to Mr. Geddie, and bring 'em here at
once."

"Saints of the skies!" said Simon, sleepily, "nothing has happened to
Mr. Geddie?"

"He's under that tarpauling," said the mate, pointing to the boat,
"and he's rather more than half drownded. We seen him from the
steamer nearly a mile out from shore, swimmin' like mad after a
bottle that was floatin' in the water, outward bound. We lowered the
gig and started for him. He nearly had his hand on the bottle, when
he gave out and went under. We pulled him out in time to save him,
maybe; but the doctor is the one to decide that."

"A bottle?" said the old man, rubbing his eyes. He was not yet fully
awake. "Where is the bottle?"

"Driftin' along out there some'eres," said the mate, jerking his
thumb toward the sea. "Get on with you, Simon."

III

SMITH

Goodwin and the ardent patriot, Zavalla, took all the precautions
that their foresight could contrive to prevent the escape of
President Miraflores and his companion. They sent trusted messengers
up the coast to Solitas and Alazan to warn the local leaders of the
flight, and to instruct them to patrol the water line and arrest
the fugitives at all hazards should they reveal themselves in that
territory. After this was done there remained only to cover the
district about Coralio and await the coming of the quarry. The nets
were well spread. The roads were so few, the opportunities for
embarkation so limited, and the two or three probable points of exit
so well guarded that it would be strange indeed if there should slip
through the meshes so much of the country's dignity, romance, and
collateral. The president would, without doubt, move as secretly
as possible, and endeavour to board a vessel by stealth from some
secluded point along the shore.

On the fourth day after the receipt of Englehart's telegram the
_Karlsefin_, a Norwegian steamer chartered by the New Orleans fruit
trade, anchored off Coralio with three hoarse toots of her siren. The
_Karlsefin_ was not one of the line operated by the Vesuvius Fruit
Company. She was something of a dilettante, doing odd jobs for a
company that was scarcely important enough to figure as a rival to
the Vesuvius. The movements of the _Karlsefin_ were dependent upon
the state of the market. Sometimes she would ply steadily between t