"About three weeks ago," said he, "when you passed up here, I saw three men on board.

Where are the other two ?" I answered him briefly that the same crew was still on board.

"But," said he, "I see you are doing all the work," and with a leer he added, as he glanced at the mainsail, "hombre valiente." I explained that I did all the work in the day, while the rest of the crew slept, so that they would be fresh to watch for Indians at night.

I was interested in the subtle cunning of this savage, knowing him, as I did, better perhaps than he was aware.

Even had I not been advised before I sailed from Sandy Point, I should have measured him for an arch-villain now.