"And the poor servants left behind, will they—"
"They are safe, child. You are the quarry they seek. Escobeda does not exchange shots to no purpose."
A few more steps, and Silencio parted the thicket ahead. Raquel passed through in obedience to his commanding nod, and emerged into the blinding glare of a tropical morning. Beneath her feet was the hot, fine sand of the seashore. A few yards away a small boat was resting, her stern just washed by the ripples. Raquel turned and looked backward. The mass of trees and vines hid the bank from view, the bank in its turn concealed the casa. As she stood thus she heard again a slow knocking, but much fainter than before. It was like the distant sound of heavy blows.
"Thank God! they are knocking still," said Silencio. "Run to the boat, child, quickly."
Raquel shrank with fear.
"They will see me from the house," she said.
"You cannot see the beach from the casa; have you forgotten? Run, run! For the boat! the boat!"
Obeying him, she sped across the sand to the little skiff.
"The middle seat!" he cried.
He followed her as swiftly, and with all his strength pushed the light weight out from the shore, springing in as the bow parted with the beach. The thrust outward brought them within sight of the house. For a moment they were not discovered, and he had shipped the oars and was rowing rapidly toward the open sea before they were seen.