The three brigands were sentenced to a long imprisonment; the two men who were found in the cave with them to a shorter term, as accomplices; but nothing was proved against José. Raymond made a handsome present to each of the soldiers, and to Julio, for the service they had rendered him; and, though his gratitude to Bark could not be expressed in this way, it was earnest and sincere. Julio and José were still in Ronda with their mules; and it was decided to return to Gibraltar as they had come. During their stay in this mountain city, the two students had seen the sights of the place; and they departed with a lively appreciation of this wild locality.
In two days they arrived at Gibraltar, to find that the fleet had been there, and left. Both of them were astonished at this information, which was given them at the King’s Arms, where they had both been guests before. They had been confident that the squadron would take her final departure for the “Isles of the Sea” from this port.
“Left!” exclaimed both of them in the same breath.
“The three vessels sailed three days ago,” replied the landlord.
“Where have they gone?” asked Raymond, who had depended upon meeting his friends on board of the Tritonia that evening.
“That I couldn’t tell you.”
They walked about the town, making inquiries in regard to the fleet; but no one knew where it had gone. The custom-house was closed for the day; and they were obliged to sleep without knowing whether or not the vessels were on their way across the ocean, or gone to some port in Spain.