I, of course, agreed to this proposal; so, stepping out from behind the tree where we had been hidden, we faced José, and asked him whether he had brought any message from my father. He seemed in no way astonished at seeing us, but replied that he was glad to find we had not left the island, as he had been sent expressly by my father to try and meet with us. He had been, he said, searching for us for some days; and at length catching sight of Camo, he knew that we were not likely to be far off. My father himself, he said, was in considerable apprehension of being denounced to the Inquisition, as he had received it warning from Doctor Antonio, and had thought it prudent in consequence to hide himself.
“Will he not join us?” asked Arthur eagerly. “He will be safer where we are than anywhere else.”
“He does not know where to find you, señors; but if you will show me your place of concealment, I will try and find him, and bring him to you.”
Arthur looked at me, on hearing this, with an expression that showed he doubted the truth of what José said. “It will be better not to show any distrust,” he whispered; “at the same time, it might be hazardous to lead José to our retreat.”
“What are we to do, then?” I asked.
“We will tell him to go and find your father, and conduct him to this spot: if he comes, we need no longer have any doubts about José’s fidelity.”
I thought Arthur’s idea a good one, though we should have liked to consult Uncle Paul on the subject.
Arthur asked José how long it would take to bring our father to the spot where we then were. He replied, “Certainly not before noon of next day;” and we accordingly agreed to meet him at that hour.
“But will you not take me to your hiding-place?” he asked. “I am hungry and weary, and require rest and refreshment.”
I was much disposed to do as the man requested, but I waited to hear what Arthur would say before replying.