"'Hush! hush! for God's sake!' I whispered, pointing to the companion; 'there is an officer from the castle below.' "We walked to the sky-light and looked down. "'Diablo!' muttered Pedro, with a start, 'do you think he heard me?' "'No, I think not; the skipper and he did not cease conversation. The steward is so glad to get back amongst his crockery, that he was kicking up a devil of a row in the pantry; that may have drowned your voice.' "'If he did hear me I'm ruined. He is Don Sebastian Alvarez, a nephew of Carlos', and dependent on him; he has watched me closely for three months. What is his errand?' "'He brought off our cook and steward, who have been confined in the castle.' "'Well, I dare say all is right; he is a lieutenant in the castle, and there is nothing strange in his being here on such business; but I'll keep out of sight.' "The officer soon came on deck, shook hands with Captain Hopkins, wished him a pleasant voyage, and then went down into his boat, ordering the men to pull for the castle. "'All right, I trust,' cried Pedro, emerging from the round-house, 'if he had started for the city, it would have been suspicious.' "The skipper called the crew, who were principally Yankees, upon the quarter-deck, and in a brief speech stated the case in hand to them. 'Now, my men,' said he, 'which of you will volunteer to go with Don Pedro Garcia and Mr. Stewart?' "Every man offered his services. We chose six lusty fellows, and supplied them with pistols and cutlasses. Don Pedro gave them a doubloon a-piece, and to each of the rest of the crew a smaller sum. At eleven o'clock we descended into the boat and pushed off for the shore. The night had set in dark and rainy, with a strong breeze, almost a gale, from the south. The men rowed in silence and with vigor, but the wind was ahead for us, and when we landed at the end of the mole, behind a row of molasses-hogsheads, it wanted but a few moments of twelve. Leaving two men for boat-keepers, Don Pedro and myself, with the other four, traversed the silent streets until we stopped in a dark lane, in the rear of a large house, which appeared to front upon a more frequented street, for even at that late hour a carriage occasionally was heard. "'Now, hist!' whispered Pedro, 'listen for footsteps.' "We strained our ears, but heard nothing but the clang of the deep-toned cathedral bell, striking the hour of twelve. A moment after a window above us opened, and a female form stepped out upon the balcony. "'Pedro, whispered the musical voice of Clara, 'is that you?' "'Yes, yes--hush! Mr. Stewart is here, and some of his men. Are you all ready?' "'Yes,' replied Clara; 'but how am I going to descend?' "'Catch this line, which I will throw to you,' said I, making a coil. "The fair girl caught the line as handily as--as--a monkey, I suppose I must say. "'Now, haul away,' I said; 'there is a ladder bent on to the other end, which you must make fast to the balustrade.'