Howard had looked around in vain for Estella, to have a little conversation with her before going ashore, and was now leaning over the rail, taking in as much of the city as was in sight from the deck. The custom-house officers and inspectors had already come aboard, with a view to searching the passengers. One of them, an over-important appearing individual, was called aside by Captain Barbados. Estella, coming on deck at that instant, saw the movement and instinctively feeling that something was wrong, came up behind the pair, screened from view by a corner of the cabin. "What is it, captain?" growled the government inspector. "I haven't any time to spare--there are so many passengers to be examined." "Do you see that man?" replied Barbados, pointing to Howard. "He is a spy!" "Ah!" The inspector's eyes began to glisten. "You are sure?" he questioned, eagerly. "He claims to be a newspaper correspondent, but you know what that means. Search him well." "I will." "And remember, it was Captain Barbados who gave the information," concluded the Spanish officer, as he turned away. Estella listened to the conversation with a wildly beating heart. What if Howard Sherwood should have something contraband about his person--pistols, knives, or perhaps dispatches for the insurgents? On the word of Captain Barbados he would be immediately dragged off to a dungeon in one of the forts. She ran around the cabin, so as to avoid the captain and the inspector, and came up to where Howard was standing. He smiled as he tipped his hat, but ere he could speak she whispered into his ear: "The inspectors think you are a spy! If you have any contraband articles about you, hide them! hide them quickly!" "Why--what--" he stammered; then, as a sharp-eyed stranger came close to them, he suddenly changed the subject. "Yes, rather a pretty harbor," he remarked aloud. Her words had set him to thinking rapidly. In his pocket was a letter of introduction to General Gomez, of the Cuban army, also a letter to another commander of the insurgents. Over his arm he carried a light overcoat with a rolling collar, and this held a deftly concealed 32-calibre pistol, with fifty rounds of ammunition. He had been advised to take the pistol along, it being a well-known fact that to buy arms of any kind in Cuba at the time was impossible. "The inspector wishes to speak with you," said the stranger, as he pointed out the man Captain Barbados had addressed. "Very well," replied Howard, as carelessly as he could. Then, as the man turned away, he whispered to Estella: "Can I trust you with this packet, or will they examine you also?" She did not reply, but her brown, shapely fingers closed over his letters, and she slipped them into her dress. "Is that all?" "All but a pistol in this overcoat--they can have that if they wish it so much." "The Plaza del Silveo, at eight to-night, if we do not meet again," she whispered, and then, as another inspector came up, they parted.