This she placed on the table, and then in answer to the "You need not wait," of the lady, again retired.
Now was the time for the boys, who had watched these operations with keen interest, and anxiety.

It was uncertain whether she would keep the black attendant by her side, and all depended upon that.
As soon as she was alone, Ned advanced from their hiding place.

The boys had agreed that it was better, at first, that he should approach alone; lest the sudden appearance of the two, especially as Gerald was nearly as tall as a man, might have caused alarm; and she might have flown away, before she had identified Ned as the lad who had jumped into the water to save her.
Ned approached the arbor with hesitating steps, and felt that his appearance was, indeed, sorely against him.

He had no covering to his head, had nothing on, indeed, but a pair of trousers.

He was shoeless and stockingless, and presented the appearance of a beggar boy, rather than the smart young sailor whom she had seen on board the ship.
The lady started up, with a short exclamation, on seeing a white, ragged boy standing before her.
"Who are you ?" she exclaimed, "and by what right do you enter these gardens?
A white boy, and in rags, how comes this ?" "Our ship has been wrecked," Ned said, using his best Spanish.