"Don Guzman de Silvestre is not well," he said. "He bids me say, however, that you had better bring your prisoner up to the house without delay."
"He is not aware, of course, that a lady has accompanied us?" I remarked.
The other shook his head, and then turned his eyes in the direction of the spot where the Señorita was standing.
"He will not be pleased," he said.
I felt that I would give something to know what preparations Silvestre had made for Fernandez' reception; but I did not put any questions to the messenger, feeling that in all probability his master had given orders to him to be silent.
"Can you carry four people in the boat?" I inquired, going to the side and looking down at the craft in question.
"Half-a-dozen, if you wish," he answered; "she will not sink with us."
I thereupon went back to the President.
"If you are quite ready, I think we will land at once," I said. "It will be dark very soon."
He shrugged his shoulders, and remarked that he would go below and fetch his cloak. The Señorita suggested that she should follow his example. Fearing that there was a possible chance of their outwitting me at the last moment, I declared that I could not hear of their taking so much trouble, and thereupon despatched one of the stewards in search of the articles in question. When they were brought on deck, we descended to the boat alongside and started for the shore.