My preparations were soon made, and within ten minutes of arriving at my decision to go ashore, having left the boatswain in charge and given him all necessary instructions, I was in the boat and heading for the beach. Of course it was quite dark some time before the boat's keel grated upon the sand; but that fact did not greatly trouble me, for I knew my way quite well, and had very little difficulty in finding the path which led up to the house. The building was by this time lighted up, and as I approached I heard voices, among which that of Don Luis was easily distinguishable. Then, as I ascended the steps which led up to the gallery running round the house, I heard Dona Inez speak, and the next moment she stepped out through the drawing-room window, and caught sight of me. For a moment she stopped dead, with a startled look in her eyes; then, with a little scream of delight she darted forward, seized my hands, and impulsively kissed me on both cheeks in the Spanish fashion, much to my embarrassment. "Luis--Luis," she cried, still holding my hands, "come hither quickly, _caro mio_, and see the most welcome sight that you have seen for many a day!" "Why, yes, of course I will," responded Don Luis. And the next moment he too stepped out on to the gallery, straight up to me, and, like his wife, kissed me! "Welcome! a thousand welcomes, my dear Don Ricardo!" he exclaimed, snatching my hands from his wife's clasp. "But where on earth have you sprung from?" "From yonder," I answered, pointing to seaward where the lantern at the _Berwick Castle's_ gaff-end shone like a star through the darkness. "Well, you are just in time for dinner," he exclaimed, "so come in. There are others here who will rejoice to once more see you whom we thought dead long ago." And as these two dear, warm-hearted, impulsive friends dragged me in through the open window I became aware that the entire Mendouca family were in the drawing-room; and by them, too, I was very cordially welcomed, though, naturally, with a little more restraint than that displayed by Don Luis and his wife.