Jack turned smilingly to his captor, and said:
"Now, Mr. Vasquez, if that is your name, what are you going to do with me?"
"My dear sir," replied Vasquez, the celebrated bandit, about whose crimes the whole of California was excited, "I will allow some one else to answer that question."
A man stepped forward.
He had been concealed in the bush hitherto, but directly Jack saw him he recognized Lord Maltravers.
"Mr. Harkaway," said Maltravers, "you have kindly fallen into the little trap I laid for you. It is with great pleasure that I meet you again, and I shall now send you on a trip which will take you to South America."
Jack turned pale.
He saw how foolish he had been to despise the power of his lordship.
"What mean you?" he asked.
"Simply that you are on your way to the diamond mines of Brazil."