Spanish Government, sent
down to investigate into the truth of the matter. They one and all
appear to have betrayed a quite remarkable amount of interest in the
cases, and one individual at least seems to have pretty broadly hinted
his doubts as to the genuineness of the markings on them. Also, our own
Government appears to have received a hint of what we were doing, and to
have sent a man down to investigate; I am afraid, therefore, that
despite all our precautions, we have not wholly succeeded in avoiding
suspicion. And if such should be the case it will be a pity, for it
will certainly mean trouble for us all later on."

"The stronger the reason why we should start without further delay,"
said Don Hermoso. "Carlos, oblige me by ringing the bell."

The bell was rung, the bill asked for and paid, the various servants
generously tipped, and the little party set out. The Montijos' luggage
had been left in the hall of the hotel: there was nothing therefore but
for the four seamen to seize it, shoulder it, and carry it down to the
pinnace; and this occupied but a few minutes. A quarter of an hour
later the party had gained the deck of the yacht, and the pinnace was
once more reposing in her chocks on the bridge deck.

"Get your anchor up, Mr Milsom, if you please," said Jack, allowing his
eyes to stray shoreward as Milsom repeated the order to the mate. As he
looked, he became aware of something in the nature of a commotion or
disturbance at the end of the pier; and, entering the chart-house, he
brought forth a pair of splendid binoculars with which to investigate.
Upon applying the glasses to his eyes he saw that there was a little
crowd of perhaps fifty people gathered on the pier end, all eagerly
listening to a man who was talking and gesticulating with great
vehemence as he pointed excitedly toward the yacht. The man appeared to
be particularly addressing two gendarmes who were among the crowd, but
everybody was clustering close round him and listening, apparently in a
state of the greatest excitement, to what he had to say, while
occasionally one or another in the crowd would face seaward and shake
his fist savagely at the yacht.

"Come here a moment, Carlos," called Jack. "I want you to look through
these glasses at the mob gathered yonder on the pier end, and especially
at the excited individual in their midst, and tell me whether you
remember having ever seen him before."

Young Montijo took the glass