"I am afraid I am dense enough not to be able to grasp your meaning," he returned.
"You suggest that it might possibly have suited his book to have put me out of the way. Well, that is why I threw in my lot with you. It would make rather a long story, but I will endeavour to tell it to you as briefly as I can. When I agreed with Silvestre in England to effect your——"
I paused for a moment with a little embarrassment. Fernandez' eyes twinkled.
"Shall we say deportation?" he inquired.
"To effect your deportation! I did so upon his giving me his word of honour that no harm should happen to you. I had no objection to his keeping you a prisoner as long as he pleased——"
"Which he certainly did. Proceed!"
"I have already confessed to you that had I known you first I would not have undertaken the work; but I was out of employment——"
"The mail steamer Pernambuco—stormy interview with the Board of Directors in London—meeting with Silvestre in the garden of the Inn at Falstead—five thousand pounds down—and five thousand when I should be handed over to him——"
He laughed good-humouredly as he noticed my almost overwhelming surprise.
"My dear fellow, to rule a country like Equinata one must possess a faculty for obtaining information. Allow me to frankly admit that I was conversant with Mr. Trevelyan's history and of his acquaintance with ex-President Silvestre, when he made his appearance in his beautiful yacht in the harbour of La Gloria. But in telling you this I am interrupting your narrative. Pray proceed! You remarked, I think, that you were out of employment."