"But without you, Don Juan, Cocom could not have saved Dolores."
"And without the boat of Señor Felipe," added Eulalia, glancing at the baronet, "none of the three would be here."
Philip made a polite gesture of dissent, though in his heart he was glad that Eulalia inclined so kindly towards him. Then Jack kissed the hands of the ladies in a most gallant fashion, and they, after removing Dolores once more from the arms of Don Miguel, whither she had flown, led her out of the patio. This being done, while waiting for the evening meal, Don Miguel demanded from Jack an account of his adventures, a request which was at once seconded by Philip, Rafael, and Peter, who protested that they could listen to a dozen repetitions of his hairbreadth escapes. Thus adjured, Jack, with as much suppression of himself as possible, narrated the events which had taken place from the earliest period of his capture by Xuarez down to the present time when he was rescued by Philip. Frequently the story was interrupted by ejaculations from his auditors, and by the time the story was finished they were all furious with Don Hypolito, particularly Señor Maraquando.
"To think, Señor," he cried, indignantly, "that I have touched the hand of that man. Carambo! To give up a white man to the cursed altar of Huitzilopochtli. It is infamous! It is unheard of!"
"But you forget, Señor, he is a pure-blooded Indian."
"I ever thought so," said Rafael, sagely. "There were many ways about Xuarez, my father, that were not those of a Spaniard."
"Indian or no Indian," growled Philip, clenching his fist, "if I get within striking distance of the scoundrel, I won't leave a whole bone in his body."
"Nor will I," said the meek Peter, fiercely, "fancy him wanting to lay Jack out on a jasper stone like a corpse on a dissecting-table."
"Be quiet, you Chamber of Horrors," said the baronet, angrily, "don't mention such a thing."
"There is one great good gained out of much evil," observed Don Miguel, reflectively; "the possession of the opal strengthens us greatly against Xuarez."