They all crept on to the balcony now and listened intently, but the sound died away; and just as they were beginning again to despair there was a knock at the door and the negro Coca entered, bowing very humbly before them as he presented a letter to Doña Elena. ’Andreas is not able to come himself, lady, but he sends letter, and wants answer.’ Doña Elena opened the parchment quickly; but Etta, who was looking on, said hurriedly: ’How did the guards let you pass if they will not allow Andreas to have speech with us?’ ’I was very cunning, Señorita: I said that I had great news to give the Señora.’ Etta, still puzzled, listened to the words of the note, which Doña Elena translated into French so that the negro should not understand. ’The Señor Carlo and the Señor Harry are safe. They have found the noble father. I cannot see you yet. God protect you! ’ANDREAS.’ ’Andreas waits for answer,’ said the negro. ’Do not send one, Doña Elena,’ cried Etta quickly, in spite of herself suspecting some plot; for what answer should Andreas require? He could hear for himself that they were safe, but Felipa said pettishly: ’Nay but, dear aunt, send him word that he must get us delivered from this prison; I am weary of being shut up.’ Doña Elena, thinking of no harm, yielded; and soon the negro retired, grinning as he again bowed low. ’I never can like those black creatures,’ said Catalina, turning up her nose in disgust. ’Indians are all very well; but negroes--no, no, Señora, you should never trust a negro.’ ’Nonsense, Catalina! My dear husband said it was because we treated the negroes so badly that they were sometimes treacherous. Alas! we Spaniards have much to answer for in that respect.’ Catalina was not convinced, and kept on muttering that Andreas might be trusted because his colour was brown, but that black was the colour of the Evil One. Could she have seen what was going on below she might, perhaps, have made even the enlightened Señora agree with her. The negro had taken the note straight to the Sieur Simon, and in a few minutes more Andreas was seized and dragged into his presence, and confronted with it. The Indian saw that the negro had betrayed his trust, and, setting his teeth tight together, he stood before his enemy silent and brave. ’Tell me, dog of an Indian, where thou hast been, and where thou hast hidden those young whelps,’ said Simon, angrily. But Andreas was not going to tell him. ’As well answer, for I know everything; the negro has told me; and if thou ownest thy fault I will forgive thee,’ said Simon. But Andreas felt sure this was a trap: no one knew the retreat of Señor Carlo--no one at least at St. Catherine. ’Come, my men, here is a dumb dog: see if a little torture will worm out the secret.’