As he covered the long distance he remained silent, apparently intent upon nothing but the thousands of phosphorescent diamonds that the oar caught up and dropped back into the lake, where they disappeared mysteriously into the blue waves.
When he had reached the shadow of the thicket a man came out of it and approached the banka.

"What shall I tell the capitan ?" he asked.
"Tell him that Elias, if he lives, will keep his word," was the sad answer.
"When will you join us, then ?" "When your capitan thinks that the hour of danger has come." "Very well.

Good-by!" "If I don't die first," added Elias in a low voice..