"'You must join us on any condition,' grumbled several of the white Spaniards. 'We shall not go to sea with Jose Ribas as our captain, unless you are with us. He is _uno muchacho_ [a mere boy]; so name your condition, captain; he _must_ and shall subscribe to it at once.' "'Then it is simply this--this young Englishman, saved my life when I was sinking--ay, after he had fallen overboard from his own vessel, and had nothing between himself and death but the plank he clung to. He saved _my life!_--You know, since the coast now swarms with enemies, that you will need _my help_--you know it.' "'Si, si--es cierto, cierto.' "'Then this young Englishman must neither be injured nor left amongst the savages here. He _must_ go with us.'--(Here some of the ruffians made very unequivocal demonstrations).--'Ay, you may threaten, but _it is_ the price of my services.' "Suddenly they all appeared to acquiesce. "'So here, give me another knife.'--He crossed them--(Hamlet, thought I)--'Swear by the blessed Mary, the patroness of your polacre, that it shall not be your fault if he be not safely landed at Havanna.' "'But he will inform on us to the comissionados [commissioners] at Havanna, when we get there.' "'He will not,' rejoined he fiercely,--'_He shall not_.' Then turning to me--'Young gentleman, bear me out; your life depends on it. Promise you will in no way bring them into trouble if you can help it.' "I did so. "'_There_, he promises, and I will be answerable for him that he keeps his word--so swear.' "They took the oath, and each one of the white Spaniards, the survivors of the two crews, now reduced to twenty-three, shook hands with me, and kissed the crossed blades, and from that moment we were as cordial as pickpockets. "Shortly after we all lay down to sleep, with the exception of one of our party, who stood sentry until relieved by another. "About twelve at night, when I awoke, the fire had sunk to a mass of glowing embers in the centre of a circle of white ashes, rayed with charred branches; and the moon was shining clear and bright overhead, and sparkling in the clustered dewdrops that hung thickly on the laurel-like bushes around us, as they were shaken from the overhanging trees in showers of diamonds, at every swell of the passing night-wind. "The buzz and murmur, indescribable to one who has never heard it, of the myriads of living things, crickets, and lizards, and insects, and night-flies, of innumerable varieties, blended with the moaning of the river, as it rushed in the distance; while the loud croak of the tree-toad, and the whistle of a large lizard, would for a moment gush out from the lulling monotony, clear and distinct, like a louder night-cry above the declining hum of a distant city.