"But _who was_ the gentleman we met?" said I, repeating Toby's question, and endeavouring to pin the crusty old gentleman to an answer. "Indeed, sir," said he, now greatly relieved, as he began to understand our real character, and the peacefulness of our object--"indeed, sir, I cannot rightly tell. He is an American, I rather think, and commands two Buenos-Ayrean"---- Here some one coughed significantly under the open window. The old man looked dogged and angry at this, as if he had said, "What the deuce! mayn't I say what I choose in my own house?" And gulping down his grog with great fierceness, as if determined not to understand the hint, he continued, speaking emphatically through his set teeth-- "Yes, sir, he commands two privateers at anchor down in the cove there." The signal was now twice repeated. It was clear there were eaves-droppers abroad. Our host lay back sullenly in his chair. "Ay! and what kind of craft may they be?" I scarcely knew what I said, as the notion of the privateers, and of having gentry of the usual stamp of their crews in such near neighbourhood, was any thing but pleasant or comfortable. "A schooner and a felucca, sir," said Mr *** in answer. Some one now thundered against the weather-boarding of the house, making every thing shake again, as if a drunken man had fallen against a hollow bulk-head, and I heard a low, grumbling voice, as if in suppressed anger. I could see with half an eye that _this_ had aroused the old gentleman to a sense of his danger, and made him pocket his peevishness; for he now _set_ himself in his chair, screwing his withered features into a most taciturn expression. "The Midge again," thought I, "by all that is unfortunate! Oh for a glimpse of Henry de Walden and his Spider!" It is the devil and all to be watched--to have the consciousness that the very stones are listening to you, and ready to fly at your head, and no armour, offensive or defensive, about you. A sort of desperation was in consequence coming over me; and I rapped out, but still speaking so low, that I considered it impossible I could be overheard by any one without---- "I think I know that same Captain Wallace's voice--I have heard it before, I am persuaded." "You have, have you?" said some one outside, with great bitterness, but also in a suppressed tone. The exclamation was apparently involuntary. I started, and looked round, but saw no one. "I know nothing of him, as I said before, gentlemen," continued our host. At this moment I had turned my face from the open window towards Toby, to see how he took all this. A small glass hung on the wall above his head, in which (murder, I grew as cold as an ice-cream!) I had a momentary glimpse of a fierce, sun-burned countenance, the lips apart, and the white teeth set as if in anger, raised just above the window sill. It glanced for an instant in the yellow light, while a clenched hand was held above it, and shaken threateningly at old ***.