The captain filled his glass and, sipping it in Spanish fashion, passed the decanter to the stranger. He followed his example, and after the usual interchange of courtesies addressed him:
"Captain, I have a favor to ask of you."
"Name it."
"You are probably not aware of the true motive which induced me to heave you to?"
"I am not."
"It is this: I wish you to take a passenger to the United States--a lady and her child. Now that I have seen you and feel acquainted with you, by our common ties, I feel a confidence in sending them by you, which I should never have felt, perhaps, with another. Will you take them? Any price shall be yours."
"Yes; I will take them."
"Thank you. I have a still further favor to ask. I wish to send to the States a sum of money to be invested in the lady's name, and for her account. Will it be too much to ask you to attend to this? You may charge your own commission."
"I will obey your wishes to the letter," Captain Lane answered.
The stranger grasped his hand across the table and, with some emotion, added: