"Faix, we can't do that same very well wid our hahnds toied behoind us," interposed Flix. "Talk English or Spanish, Felix," said Louis rather sharply. "I can talk English and walk Spanish. What shall I do now?" "Back up in front of me," continued Louis, resuming his seat on the divan. "Now put your hand into my vest pocket and take out my knife." Felix obeyed the order, and with his fingers, for he could not move his wrists, he extracted the knife from the pocket. Then the leader placed himself back to back with the Milesian, and instructed him to cut his fastenings, but not to cut him. He used great care, and the operation required some time; but it was safely accomplished. CHAPTER IX WORKING UP THE DETAILS OF THE SCHEME Louis was the first to be released from his bonds. His hands were now free, and he took the knife from Felix. Without any of the disadvantages under which the Milesian had performed the operation, he severed the bonds of his crony, and then proceeded to repeat the ceremony upon Scott and Morris. "Put your hands behind you!" said Louis, as he heard footsteps on the deck. "Take your seats on the divan!" He spoke quite sharply for him; but fortunately his companions had imbibed enough of the spirit of the sailor, whose duty it is to obey without asking any questions, to heed the command on the instant. "How are you getting on, boys?" asked Gray, as he drew aside the curtain of one of the windows, all of which opened on the gangway. "First rate," replied Louis. "We are all very comfortable just now. Where do we happen to be at the present moment, Captain Gray?" "We happen to be off the Almirante tower, headed for the light on Verde Island; and everything is working well for us. We are beginning to get a little breeze now," replied Gray, who appeared to be in a very cheerful mood. "But Captain Velazquez is hailing me from the schooner." The Scotchman went aft from the window, and Louis hastened to one that opened into the standing-room. Gray replied to the hail of the captain of the schooner. "_A donde va V?_" (Where are you going?) yelled Diego; and his tones indicated that he was a very angry man. "We are headed for the light on Verde Island," replied the Scotchman. "_Nécio!_" (Fool!) bellowed Captain Velazquez, putting all the vim he could into the word. "Do you want to hand us over to the officers at Algeciras? Make the course for the red light on the New Mole!" "All right, Captain!" returned Gray, as he hastened forward to the pilot-house. "We are safe so far," continued Louis, as he retired from the window. "Gray is the most dangerous man with whom we have to deal, for he is a heavy fellow; he shares the profits of this smuggling enterprise; and I think he will fight as long as there is anything left of him." "Then we must take him where the hair is short," replied Scott.