Another deep groan issued from the lips of the hapless sufferer, and he opened his eyes, which had until now been closed, and then they saw that a certain suspicion that for some moments had been growing in their minds was but too well founded. Yes, yes! Oh, horror! it was de Soto, that noble, brave, and chivalrous Spaniard whom they had last seen retiring with the rest of their prisoners into the depths of the jungle of Cuba! Harry uttered a little cry, and, swaying for a moment, fell heavily into the arms of Roger, who laid him gently on the stone floor. At this, one of the cowled inquisitors stepped forward; but at that moment a door opened and a man entered, clad in rich and costly vestments, his identity unconcealed in any way by cowl or cloak. Roger looked up, and could scarcely credit his senses. Where--where had he seen that sinister and evil countenance before? As he looked, so did the man who had just entered look at Roger, a new light dawning in his evil eyes. Then Roger recognised the man; he had seen him before. It was Alvarez! The new-comer spoke in Spanish: "Has the man yet confessed?" And one of the masked men replied: "No, your excellency; he has not as yet. But we hope that during the next torture he will speak; he is but now only just recovering from the last." "Continue, then," commanded Alvarez. "But first remove those two boys to their cell, and I charge you, on your lives, to see that they escape not; for of all those whom I have ever wished to have in my power I wanted that one most"--pointing to Roger. "Therefore, keep him safe; keep both of them safe; for I shall require them soon." CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. THE TRANSLATION OF THE CRYPTOGRAM. In obedience to the commands of Alvarez, two of the black-cloaked men seized Roger, each of them taking him by an arm, and led him back to the cell, whilst two more followed with the unconscious body of poor Harry. When they arrived in the cell, the men who were carrying Harry's body simply flung it down on the stone table with careless violence, and then, without glancing back, left the apartment, and, closing the door, locked and bolted it again on the outside. Roger's first thought was for his friend, whose head had been badly cut owing to the force with which he had been flung on the stone table. He instinctively glanced round the cell, and his eyes fell upon the jug of water, which, with their food, had been placed there during their visit to the torture-chamber. With an exclamation of thankfulness he seized upon the jug, and, stripping off his doublet, tore away the sleeve of his undershirt; then, dipping that in the water, he bound it round the head of his friend over the jagged gash.