"I am, caballero, Doña Clara de Bejar, to whom, as I was informed, you have a letter to deliver." "In that case doubly welcome, madam; as for the note in question, I have not the charge of it, but my comrade." "Zounds," L'Olonnais exclaimed, who had gone up to the wounded man, "Omopoua certainly told us that this poor devil of a monk had been almost dismasted, but I did not expect to find him in so pitiable a state." "Well," Lepoletais remarked with a frown, "I am not a very religious man, but hang me if I should not hesitate to treat a monk in this way; only a pagan is capable of committing such a crime." Then, with a truly filial attention, which the Spaniards admired, the rude adventurer set to work, offering some relief to the wounded man's intolerable sufferings, in which he entirely succeeded, owing to a long practice in treating wounds of every description, and Fray Arsenio soon fell into an invigorating sleep. During this time L'Olonnais had handed to Doña Clara the letter which Montbarts had entrusted to him for her, and the young lady had withdrawn a little for the purpose of reading it. "Come, come," L'Olonnais said gaily, as he tapped the Major-domo's shoulder, "that is what I call a sensible lad, he has thought of the substantials; breakfast is ready." "If that be the case," Lepoletais said, with a significant wink to his comrade; "we will eat double tides, for we shall have work before long." "Shall we not wait the return of the Indian chief?" Don Sancho asked. "For what purpose?" L'Olonnais said, with a laugh. "Do not trouble yourself about him, my gentleman: he is a long way off if he is still running. Each of us has his work cut out for him." "I don't care!" Lepoletais remarked. "You had a deuced fine scent, Señor, in responding to our invitation so quickly!" "Why so?" "You will soon know. But now take my advice--recruit your strength by eating." At this moment Doña Clara rejoined the party. Her demeanour was firmer, and her face almost gay. The table was soon laid--leaves serving for plates. They sat down to it, that is to say, they formed a circle on the ground, and bravely assailed the provisions. Don Sancho had resumed all his gaiety. This life appeared to him delightful, and he laughed heartily, while eating with a good appetite. Doña Clara herself, in spite of her inward preoccupation, did honour to this improvised banquet. "Up! my darlings," Lepoletais had said to his dogs. "Tally ho! No idleness, but go and watch the approaches while we are breakfasting. Your share shall be kept." The dogs had risen with admirable obedience, and turning their backs on the boucans, scattered in all directions, and speedily disappeared. "Yours are first-rate dogs," said Don Sancho. "You Spaniards are good judges of that," the buccaneer replied, mockingly.