Then the following conversation passed between us, managed as before. I give you the clear sense picked out of the interruptions, gestures, sentences, and looks: “What shall you do, Señor Fielding?” “Advise me.” “I--a poor, helpless woman, ignorant of the sea? Yet does it not seem to you that, unless you comply, they will send you away with Antonio and Jorge.” “Yes.” “Then you will comply.” “And after?” “After?” she cried. “Who knows? Many things may happen to deliver us from this dreadful situation; but, if you defy the crew, and they put you and my countrymen into a boat, we are surely lost.” I assented with a gesture. “They are ignorant of navigation?” said she. “Utterly.” “Could not you steal the brig to a part of some coast where we are likely to fall in with ships of war?” “If they suspected treachery they’d hang me at the yardarm.” “Ave Maria! Where is this New Holland?” “It is very far from here.” “How far?” “It may be four months and perhaps five months from this place.” “Mother of God! Is Spain to be reached from New Holland?” “Yes, but the world grows old before such voyages are ended.” She cast down her gaze in thought. The noise of the tramp of footsteps had ceased; I reckoned we were being watched, but I would not lift up my eyes to know. I rose and paced the cabin, having formed my resolution; and now I considered with whom of the crew I should speak. I abhorred Yan Bol for the horrible threat he had uttered, for the enormous insult that threat implied, and I dared not put myself alone with him--yet. I went to the companion ladder and called up the hatch for Jimmy; my cry was re-echoed, and in a minute or two the boy made his appearance. “Tell Friend to come to me--here.” “Señor Fielding,” said the lady Aurora, “you will comply with the men’s requests?” I motioned an assent. “If not we are lost. I have been thinking. You are in their power. _Paciencia!_ If they send you away, I--I--Aurora de la Cueva--” and in pronouncing her name she touched her breast two or three times, “am alone with men who will be the murderers of you and my countrymen. I count upon your protection. Think of me alone in this ship with your men.” She clasped her hands and turned her dark and shining eyes upon the little stand of muskets. A peculiar expression slightly curled her lip as she looked at those weapons. “I’ll not leave you.” She put her forefinger to her mouth, and at that moment I saw a man’s legs in the hatch. “Is it down here I’m wanted, sir?” said the voice of Friend. “Come along.” He descended, pulled his cap off, and stared with looks of misgiving and surprise. Peradventure he thought I had a design on his life, and meant to slaughter the crew one by one, courteously inviting them below for that purpose. He was a sailor of a mild cast of face, rather quiet in manner, and had the most civil and least swearing tongue in the brig.