"He told me that it was the utmost he could afford to give, Senor; and it was quite enough to tempt me. Why, were I to work all my life at my trade as a carrier, I could never hope to save fifty doubloons, nay, nor the fourth part of that sum. It is not so very long ago that I risked my life constantly as a contrabandista, for a profit of one-fifth of that amount." "Well, Antonio," said Carlos, "according to your own showing you have a very elastic conscience, which you appear to have made pretty completely subservient to your own interests. Now, I suppose you know what will happen to you if we hand you over to the authorities?" "Yes, Senor," answered the ruffian. "I shall probably be sentenced to six months' imprisonment with hard labour; which sentence will be commuted to one month, if I behave myself, as I shall, of course." "Six months' hard labour?" exclaimed Carlos incredulously. "You are strangely mistaken, friend. You are far more likely to get ten years' penal servitude in Africa. Attempted murder is a crime that is usually punished very severely." "Usually--yes," assented the prisoner. "But that is when one attempts to murder a Spaniard. This muchacho, however, is English; and nobody in Cuba is just now likely to trouble himself very much over the attempted murder of an Englishman. Besides, I have received a definite promise that, if caught, I shall be very leniently treated." "Oh, you have, have you?" exclaimed Carlos, in a tone that seemed to indicate that he was beginning to see daylight. "That seems to point to the fact that your employer is a man possessing a considerable amount of influence with the authorities. But I fancy he must have entirely forgotten the British Consul at Havana. Does he, or do you, imagine for a moment that that gentleman will permit any tampering with justice where one of his countrymen is concerned? Make no mistake about that, my friend! So surely as you are brought to trial, so surely may you rely upon receiving the maximum amount of punishment for your crime." "Santa Maria!" gasped Panza. "I had forgotten that." "I suspected as much," answered Carlos. "Now, if Senor Singleton here should chance to be disposed to be merciful, to the extent of permitting you to go free, would you be willing in return to swear upon that crucifix which I see you wear round your neck that you will make no further attempt upon his life; and also to disclose the name of your employer?" "That would be no good, Senor," said Panza. "My employer warned me that, should I attempt to betray him, he would simply deny every word I might say; and who would take the word of a suspected contrabandista against that of a--well, a Spaniard of high position? It is true that the judge might shrewdly suspect that there was a considerable amount of truth in my story; but he would be very careful to conceal any such suspicion, I assure you."