"But it is a much more laborious ascent."
"So the Eugenie has been cast away?"
"She was struck by lightning, took fire, and was burned to the water edge."
On hearing this, Antonio ground his sharp teeth, and said, with a savage malediction,—
"Por grados, as I said before, I will rid the world of you all!"
"For myself," I began, with some agitation——
"If I permit you to return alive to these men," he replied, sternly, "you will enable them to track me out. But see you this," he added, showing me a revolver; "I will make them all food for the sea-gulls and the wild boars if they attempt to molest me."
It was one of those which had hung in Captain Weston's cabin. It appeared to be loaded and capped; and though very rusty, was still sufficiently dangerous. I remembered that he had put it in his breast before he fell overboard.
"As for you," he resumed, and paused.
"I never harmed you, as you have frequently said."