"What are we waiting for now?" demanded Gray, vexed at any delay, and still speaking Spanish of course.
"I have to place my men," replied Diego petulantly.
At this point of the conversation on the deck Louis was intensely interested, for he was as desirous of knowing where each man was placed as the captain himself. In the beginning of the discussion he had simply hoped that something might be done to recover the steamer; but now Scott's proposition began to look more practicable.
"I thought you had placed them," said Gray. "Francisco, who knows more about a steamer than any of the rest of your crew, is to be at the helm, and Pedro is to look out for the Spanish engineer, who is not likely to give us any trouble."
"All right so far," replied the captain. "Lucio will remain on board of the Golondrina with me."
"With you?" interrogated the Scotchman.
"Of course I shall stay on board of the goleta," returned Diego, as though he had been asked a foolish question.
"I supposed you would remain on board of the steamer," added Gray.
"Have you lost your wits?" demanded Captain Velazquez, as nearly as Louis could render his remark into English. "Our valuable cargo is on board of the Golondrina, and do you expect me to leave it to take care of itself?"
"But if you stay on board of the steamer you will not be far away from it," suggested Gray, who was clearly dissatisfied with the arrangement.