.

THE ARRIVAL DINNER.
IN THE MORNING, after a night which was scarcely sufficient to calm so much excitement, they unmoored from the cayman beach and departed.
Before five days, if nothing interfered with their voyage, the raft would reach the port of Manaos.
Minha had quite recovered from her fright, and her eyes and smiles thanked all those who had risked their lives for her.
As for Lina, it seemed as though she was more grateful to the brave Fragoso than if it was herself that he had saved.
"I will pay you back, sooner or later, Mr.Fragoso," said she, smiling.
"And how, Miss Lina ?" "Oh! You know very well!" "Then if I know it, let it be soon and not late!" replied the good-natured fellow.
And from this day it began to be whispered about that the charming Lina was engaged to Fragoso, that their marriage would take place at the same time as that of Minha and Manoel, and that the young couple would remain at Belem with the others.
"Capital! capital!" repeated Fragoso unceasingly; "but I never thought Para was such a long way off!" As for Manoel and Benito, they had had a long conversation about what had passed.

There could be no question about obtaining from Joam Garral the dismissal of his rescuer.
"Your life is precious to me above all things!" Torres had said.
This reply, hyperbolical and enigmatical at the time, Benito had heard and remembered.
In the meantime the young men could do nothing.

More than ever they were reduced to waiting--to waiting not for four or five days, but for seven or eight weeks--that is to say, for whatever time it would take for the raft to get to Belem.
"There is in all this some mystery that I cannot understand," said Benito.
"Yes, but we are assured on one point," answered Manoel.

"It is certain that Torres does not want your father's life.