Opening a window she dropped lightly to the ground, keeping under the eaves till the rear of the house was reached. As swiftly as would a boy she ran to the stable and ordered the sleepy groom to give her an untired horse. She was soon off, vying with the wind in speed, ignoring, in her eagerness, both storm and cutting sand.
She came to the cabins near which she and the Captain had been standing not two hours ago. Taking the first house at hand she unceremoniously opened the door. The surprised occupants, a man and woman, with three nearly grown sons, started from various attitudes of inertia and excitedly greeted the lady.
"Quick! Quick!" she said. "A boat at once! I must reach those ships out there before the night falls."
"Never, señora. It would mean the life of anyone attempting it."
"No, no! Come! Let us be off! Quick!" hastily opening a small chamois bag. Ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, one hundred dollars in gold she counted out. "It is all yours, if you will but come."
The youngest of the sons would do as she wished, if the father and brothers would join. They would not. Yet she urged. The wailing of the woman of the family offset any progress she might have made with the men.
A large diamond ring which the señora always wore, day or evening, gleamed insinuatingly into her eyes. She caught its message. Hastily removing it she held it out:
"This and the gold, as well, shall be yours. See, it is worth a fortune. Come, be quick! A boat!"
"But we shall drown! We shall drown!"
"I tell you no," and before they realized what they were doing they were out of the house, the señora pulling at the ropes which confined one of the largest of the little cluster of vessels.