en　a　jewel？　But　how　come　sailors　with　jewels？…　or　with　silk…trimmed　undershirts　either？　Has　he　been　robbing　the　trunks　of　the　dead　cabin　passengers？　But　if　so；　he　would　hardly　wear　one　of　the　stolen　articles　on　board　ship　here。　Ah；　ah…　if　now　that　was；　indeed；　a　secret　sign　I　saw　passing　between　this　suspicious　fellow　and　his　captain　awhile　since；　if　I　could　only　be　certain　that　in　my　uneasiness　my　senses　did　not　deceive　me；　then…　　　　　Here；　passing　from　one　suspicious　thing　to　another；　his　mind　revolved　the　point　of　the　strange　questions　put　to　him　concerning　his　ship。　　　　　By　a　curious　coincidence；　as　each　point　was　recalled；　the　black　wizards　of　Ashantee　would　strike　up　with　their　hatchets；　as　in　ominous　comment　on　the　white　stranger's　thoughts。　Pressed　by　such　enigmas　and　portents；　it　would　have　been　almost　against　nature；　had　not；　even　into　the　least　distrustful　heart；　some　ugly　misgivings　obtruded。　　　　　Observing　the　ship　now　helplessly　fallen　into　a　current；　with　enchanted　sails；　drifting　with　increased　rapidity　seaward；　and　noting　that；　from　a　lately　intercepted　projection　of　the　land；　the　sealer　was　hidden；　the　stout　mariner　began　to　quake　at　thoughts　which　he　barely　durst　confess　to　himself。　Above　all；　he　began　to　feel　a　ghostly　dread　of　Don　Benito。　And　yet　when　he　roused　himself；　dilated　his　chest；　felt　himself　strong　on　his　legs；　and　coolly　considered　it…　what　did　all　these　phantoms　amount　to？　　　　　Had　the　Spaniard　any　sinister　scheme；　it　must　have　reference　not　so　much　to　him　（Captain　Delano）　as　to　his　ship　（the　Bachelor's　Delight）。　Hence　the　present　drifting　away　of　the　one　ship　from　the　other；　instead　of　favouring　any　such　possible　scheme；　was；　for　the　time　at　least；　opposed　to　it。　Clearly　any　suspicion；　combining　such　contradictions；　must　need　be　delusive。　Beside；　was　it　not　absurd　to　think　of　a　vessel　in　distress…　a　vessel　by　sickness　almost　dismanned　of　her　crew…　a　vessel　whose　inmates　were　parched　for　water…　was　it　not　a　thousand　times　absurd　that　such　a　craft　should；　at　present；　be　of　a　piratical　character；　or　her　commander；　either　for　himself　or　those　under　him；　cherish　any　desire　but　for　speedy　relief　and　refreshment？　But　then；　might　not　general　distress；　and　thirst　in　particular；　be　affected？　And　might　not　that　same　undiminished　Spanish　crew；　alleged　to　have　perished　off　to　a　remnant；　be　at　that　very　moment　lurking　in　the　hold？　On　heart…broken　pretence　of　entreating　a　cup　of　cold　water；　fiends　in　human　form　had　got　into　lonely　dwellings；　nor　retired　until　a　dark　deed　had　been　done。　And　among　the　Malay　pirates；　it　was　no　unusual　thing　to　lure　ships　after　them　into　their　treacherous　harbours；　or　entice　boarders　from　a　declared　enemy　at　sea；　by　the　spectacle　of　thinly　manned　or　vacant　decks；　beneath　which　prowled　a　hundred　spears　with　yellow　arms　ready　to　upthrust　them　through　the　mats。　Not　that　Captain　Delano　had　entirely　credited　such　things。　He　had　heard　of　them…　and　now；　as　stories；　they　recurred。　The　present　destination　of　the　ship　was　the　anchorage。　There　she　would　be　near　his　own　vessel。　Upon　gaining　that　vicinity；　might　not　the　San　Dominick；　like　a　slumbering　volcano；　suddenly　let　loose　energies　now　hid？　　　　　He　recalled　the　Spaniard's　manner　while　telling　his　story。　There　was　a　gloomy　hesitancy　and　subterfuge　about　it。　It　was　just　the　manner　of　one　making　up　his　tale　for　evil　purposes；　as　he　goes。　But　if　that　story　was　not　true；　what　was　the　truth？　That　the　ship　had　unlawfully　come　into　the　Spaniard's　possession？　But　in　many　of　its　details；　especially　in　reference　to　the　more　calamitous　parts；　such　as　the　fatalities　among　the　seamen；　the　consequent　prolonged　beating　about；　the　past　sufferings　from　obstinate　calms；　and　still　continued　suffering　from　thirst；　in　all　these　points；　as　well　as　others；　Don　Benito's　story　had　been　corroborated　not　only　by　the　wailing　ejaculations　of　the　indiscriminate　multitude；　white　and　black；　but　likewise…　what　seemed　impossible　to　be　counterfeit…　by　the　very　expression　and　play　of　every　human　feature；　which　Captain　Delano　saw。　If　Don　Benito's　story　was　throughout　an　invention；　then　every　soul　on　board；　down　to　the　youngest　Negress；　was　his　carefully　drilled　recruit　in　the　plot：　an　incredible　inference。　And　yet；　if　there　was　ground　for　mistrusting　the　Spanish　captain's　veracity；　that　inference　was　a　legitimate　one。　　　　　In　short；　scarce　an　uneasiness　entered　the　honest　sailor's　mind　but；　by　a　subsequent　spontaneous　act　of　good　sense；　it　was　ejected。　At　last　he　began　to　laugh　at　these　forebodings；　and　laugh　at　the　strange　ship　for；　in　its　aspect　someway　siding　with　them；　as　it　were；　and　laugh；　too；　at　the　odd…looking　blacks；　particularly　those　old　scissors…grinders；　the　Ashantees；　and　those　bed…ridden　old　knitting…women；　the　oakum…pickers；　and；　in　a　human　way；　he　almost　began　to　laugh　at　the　dark　Spaniard　himself；　the　central　hobgoblin　of　all。　　　　　For　the　rest；　whatever　in　a　serious　way　seemed　enigmatical；　was　now　good…naturedly　explained　away　by　the　thought　that；　for　the　most　part；　the　poor　invalid　scarcely　knew　what　he　was　about；　either　sulking　in　black　vapours；　or　putting　random　questions　without　sense　or　object。　Evidently；　for　the　present；　the　man　was　not　fit　to　be　entrusted　with　the　ship。　On　some　benevolent　plea　withdrawing　the　command　from　him；　Captain　Delano　would　yet　have　to　send　her　to　Concepcion　in　charge　of　his　second　mate；　a　worthy　person　and　good　navigator…　a　plan　which　would　prove　no　wiser　for　the　San　Dominick　than　for　Don　Benito；　for…　relieved　from　all　anxiety；　keeping　wholly　to　his　cabin…　the　sick　man；　under　the　good　nursing　of　his　servant；　would　probably；　by　the　end　of　the　passage；　be　in　a　measure　restored　to　health　and　with　that　he　should　also　be　restored　to　authority。　　　　　Such　were　the　American's　thoughts。　They　were　tranquillizing。　There　was　a　difference　between　the　idea　of　Don　Benito's　darkly　preordaining　Captain　Delano's　fate；　and　Captain　Delano's　lightly　arranging　Don　Benito's。　Nevertheless；　it　was　not　without　something　of　relief　that　the　good　seaman　presently　perceived　his　whale…boat　in　the　distance。　Its　absence　had　been　prolonged　by　unexpected　detention　at　the　sealer's　side；　as　well　as　its　returning　trip　lengthened　by　the　continual　recession　of　the　goal。　　　　　The　advancing　speck　was　observed　by　the　blacks。　Their　shouts　attracted　the　attention　of　Don　Benito；　who；　with　a　return　of　courtesy；　approaching　Captain　Delano；　expressed　satisfaction　at　the　coming　of　some　supplies；　slight　and　temporary　as　they　must　necessarily　prove。　　　　　Captain　Delano　responded；　but　while　doing　so；　his　attention　was　drawn　to　something　passing　on　the　deck　below：　among　the　crowd　climbing　the　landward　bulwarks；　anxiously　watching　the　coming　boat；　two　blacks；　to　all　appearances　accidentally　incommoded　by　one　of　the　sailors；　flew　out　against　him　with　horrible　curses；　which　the　sailor　someway　resenting；　the　two　blacks　dashed　him　to　the　deck　and　jumped　upon　him；　despite　the　earnest　cries　of　the　oakum…pickers。　　　　　〃Don　Benito；〃　said　Captain　Delano　quickly；　〃do　you　see　what　is　going　on　there？　Look！〃　　　　　But；　seized　by　his　cough；　the　Spaniard　staggered；　with　both　hands　to　his　face；　on　the　point　of　falling。　Captain　Delano　would　have　supported　him；　but　the　servant　was　more　alert；　who；　with　one　hand　sustaining　his　master；　with　the　other　applied　the　cordial。　Don　Benito；　restored；　the　black　withdrew　his　support；　slipping　aside　a　little；　but　dutifully　remaining　within　call　of　a　whisper。　Such　discretion　was　here　evinced　as　quite　wiped　away；　in　the　visitor's　eyes；　any　blemish　of　impropriety　which　might　have　attached　to　the　attendant；　from　the　indecorous　conferences　before　mentioned；　showing；　too；　that　if　the　servant　were　to　blame；　it　might　be　more　the　master's　fault　than　his　own；　since　when　left　to　himself　he　could　conduct　thus　well。　　　　　His　glance　thus　called　away　from　the　spectacle　of　disorder　to　the　more　pleasing　one　before　him；　Captain　Delano　could　not　avoid　again　congratulating　Don　Benito　upon　possessing　such　a　servant；　who；　though　perhaps　a　little　too　forward　now　and　then；　must　upon　the　whole　be　invaluable　to　one　in　the　invalid's　situation。　　　　　〃Tell　me；　Don　Benito；〃　he　added；　with　a　smile…　〃I　should　like　to　have　your　man　here　myself…　what　will　you　take　for　him？　Would　fifty　doubloons　be　any　object？〃　　　　　〃Master　wouldn't　part　with　Babo　for　a　thousand　doubloons；〃　murmured　the　black；　overhearing　the　offer；　and　taking　it　in　earnest；　and；　with　the　strange　vanity　of　a　faithful　slave　appreciated　by　his　master；　scorning　to　hear　so　paltry　a　valuation　put　upon　him　by　a　stranger。　But　Don　Benito；　apparently　hardly　yet　completely　restored；　and　again　interrupted　by　his　cough；　made　but　some　broken　reply。　　　　　Soon　his　physical　distress　became　so　great；　affecting　his　mind；　tool　apparently；　that；　as　if　to　screen　the　sad　spectacle；　the　servant　gently　conducted　his　master　below。　　　　　Left　to　himself；　the　American；　to　while　away　the　time　till　his　boat　should　arrive；　would　have　pleasantly　accosted　some　one　of　the　few　Spanish　seamen　he　saw；　but　recalling　something　that　Don　Benito　had　said　touching　their　ill　conduct；　he　refrained；　as　a　shipmaster　indisposed　to　countenance　cowardice　or　unfaithfulness　in　seamen。　　　　　While；　with　these　thoughts；　standing　with　eye　directed　forward　toward　that　handful　of　sailors…　suddenly　he　thought　th