“No, no, my brave lads!  As for treasure, if there be any, it is sure to have been put all safe into the forts, or hidden in the mountains; and as for the lady, God forbid that we should force her a step without her own will.”

The honest sailor did not quite understand this punctilio:  but—­

“Well, captain,” quoth he, “as you like; but no man shall say that you asked for a volunteer, were it to jump down a shark’s throat, but what you had me first of all the crew.”

After this sort of temper had been exhibited, three or four more came forward—­Yeo was very anxious to go, but Amyas forbade him.

“I’ll volunteer, sir, without reward, for this or anything; though” (added he in a lower tone) “I would to Heaven that the thought had never entered your head.”

“And so would I have volunteered,” said Simon Evans, “if it were the ship’s quarrel, or the queen’s; but being it’s a private matter of the captain’s, and I’ve a wife and children at home, why, I take no shame to myself for asking money for my life.”

So the crew was made up; but ere they pushed off, Amyas called Cary aside—­

“If I perish, Will—­”

“Don’t talk of such things, dear old lad.”

“I must.  Then you are captain.  Do nothing without Yeo and Drew.  But if they approve, go right north away for San Domingo and Cuba, and try the ports; they can have no news of us there, and there is booty without end.  Tell my mother that I died like a gentleman; and mind—­mind, dear lad, to keep your temper with the men, let the poor fellows grumble as they may.  Mind but that, and fear God, and all will go well.”

The tears were glistening in Cary’s eyes as he pressed Amyas’s hand, and watched the two brothers down over the side upon their desperate errand.

They reached the pebble beach.  There seemed no difficulty about finding the path to the house—­so bright was the moon, and so careful a survey of the place had Frank taken.  Leaving the men with the boat (Amyas had taken care that they should be well armed), they started up the beach, with their swords only.  Frank assured Amyas that they would find a path leading from the beach up to the house, and he was not mistaken.  They found it easily, for it was made of white shell sand; and following it, struck into a “tunal,” or belt of tall thorny cactuses.  Through this the path wound in zigzags up a steep rocky slope, and ended at a wicket-gate.  They tried it, and found it open.

“She may expect us,” whispered Frank.

“Impossible!”

“Why not?  She must have seen our ship; and if, as seems, the townsfolk know who we are, how much more must she!  Yes, doubt it not, she still longs to hear news of her own land, and some secret sympathy will draw her down towards the sea to-night.  See! the light is in the window still!”

“But if not,” said Amyas, who had no such expectation, “what is your plan?”