d down
rapidly.

"I am quite capable," thought Daniel, "of not finding the boat of 'The
Conquest.'"

Still he did find it, after long search, drawn up, and half lost, in a
crowd of native boats. But the boat seemed to be empty. It was only when
he got into it, that he discovered a little midshipman fast asleep in
the bottom, wrapped up in a carpet which was used to cover the seats
for the officers. Daniel shook him. He rose slowly, and grumbling, as if
overcome by sleep.

"Well, what is the matter?" he growled.

"Where are the men?" asked Daniel.

Quite awake now, the midshipman, who had good eyes, had noticed, in
spite of the darkness, the gold of the epaulets. This made him very
respectful at once; and he replied,--

"Lieutenant, all the men are in town."

"How so? All?"

"Why, yes, lieutenant! When all the officers had gone on shore, they
told the boatswain they would not come back very soon, and he might take
his time to eat a mouthful, and to drink a glass, provided the men did
not get drunk."

That was so; and Daniel had forgotten the fact.

"And where did they go?" he asked.

"I don't know, lieutenant."

Daniel looked at the large, heavy boat, as if he had thought for a
moment to return in it to "The Conquest" with no other help but the
little midshipman; but, no, that was impracticable.

"Well, go to sleep again," he said to the boy.

And jumping on shore, without uttering a word of disappointment, he was
going in search of his comrades, when he saw suddenly a man turn up out
of the darkness, whose features it was impossible to distinguish.

"Who is there?" he asked.

"Mr. Officer," answered the man in an almost unintelligible jargon, a
horrible medley of French, Spanish, and English. "I heard you tell the
little man in the boat there"--

"Well?"

"I thought you wanted to get back on board your ship?"

"Why, yes."

"Well, then, if you like it, I am a boatman; I can take you over."

There was no reason why Daniel should mistrust the man. In all ports of
the world, and at any hour of the day or the night, men are to be found
who are lying in wait on the wharves for sailors who have been belated,
and who are made to pay dear for such extra services.

"Ah! you are a boatman, you say?" Daniel exclaimed, quite pleased at the
encounter. "Well, where is your boat?"

"There, Mr. Officer, a little way down; just follow me. But what ship do
you want to go to?"

"That ship there."

And Da