“What’s in a name?” remarked Dugald Shaw, shrugging.  “We were after other people’s property, anyway.  I am very sorry about it, Senor Gonzales, but I would like to ask, if you don’t mind telling, how you happened to learn of our being here, so long as it was not through the authentic channels.  On general principles, I tried to keep the matter quiet.”

“We learned in a manner somewhat—­what do you say?—­curious,” returned the Spaniard, who, having presented the men with cigars and by permission lighted one himself, was making himself extremely at home and appeared to have no immediate intention of haling us away to captivity in Santa Marinan dungeons.  “But before I go further, kindly tell me whether you have had any—­ah—­visitors during your stay on the island?”

“We have,” Mr. Shaw replied, “very troublesome ones.”

The Spaniard smiled.

“Then answer your own question.  These men, while unloading a contraband cargo in a port of Mexico near the southern border, grew too merry in a wineshop, and let it be known where they were bound when again they put to sea.  The news, after some delay, found its way to our capital.  At once the navy of the republic was despatched to investigate the matter.  It is the navy of Santa Marina, ladies and gentlemen, which at this moment guards the entrance of the bay.”  And Senor Gonzales waved an ironic hand in the direction of the little steamer lying off the island,

“On the way here I put in at Panama, where certain inquiries were satisfactorily answered.  There were those in that port who had made a shrewd guess at the destination of the party which had shipped on the Rufus Smith.  I then pursued my course to Leeward.  But admit, my friends, that I have not by my arrival, caused you any material loss.  Except that I have unfortunately been compelled to present you to yourselves in the character of—­as says the young lady—­pirates—­madam, I speak under correction—­I have done you no injury, eh?  And that for the simple reason that you have not discovered what you sought, and hence can not be required to surrender it.”

We looked at one another doubtfully.  The ambiguous words of the Spaniard, the something humorous and mocking which lay behind his courtly manner, put us quite in the dark.

“Senor Gonzales,” replied the Scotchman, after a moment’s hesitation, “it is true that so far only a negligible amount of what we came to find has rewarded us.  But I can not in honesty conceal from you that we know where to look for the rest of it, and that we had certainly expected to leave the island with it in our possession.”

The dark indolent eyes of our visitor grew suddenly keen.  Half-veiled by the heavy lashes, they searched the face of Dugald Shaw.  It seemed that what they found in that bold and open countenance satisfied them.  His own face cleared again.