to walk to the Tidore peroquas, and while they were launching them Philip and Krantz fell back into the jungle and disappeared.  The Portuguese had perceived the wreck of their enemies, and, irritated by the loss they had sustained, they had ordered the people of the island to go out and capture all who were driven on shore.  Now that they were no longer assailed, the Tidore people obeyed them, and very soon fell in with Philip and Krantz, who had quietly sat down under the shade of a large tree, waiting the issue.  They were led away to the fort, where they arrived by nightfall.  They were ushered into the presence of the Commandant, the same little man who had made love to Amine, and as they were dressed in Mussulman’s attire, he was about to order them to be hung, when Philip told him that they were Dutchmen, who had been wrecked, and forced by the King of Ternate to join his expedition; that they had taken the earliest opportunity of escaping, as was very evident since those who had been thrown on shore with them had got off in the island boats, while they chose to remain.  Whereupon the little Portuguese Commandant struck his sword firm down on the pavement of the ramparts, looked very big, and then ordered them to prison for further examination.

Chapter XXXI

As every one descants upon the want of comfort in a prison, it is to be presumed that there are no very comfortable ones.  Certainly that to which Philip and Krantz were ushered, had anything rather than the air of an agreeable residence.  It was under the fort, with a very small aperture looking towards the sea, for light and air.  It was very hot, and moreover destitute of all those little conveniences which add so much to one’s happiness in modern houses and hotels.  In fact, it consisted of four bare walls, and a stone floor, and that was all.

Philip, who wished to make some inquiries relative to Amine, addressed, in Portuguese, the soldier who brought them down.

“My good friend, I beg your pardon—­”

“I beg yours,” replied the soldier going out of the door, and locking them in.

Philip leant gloomily against the wall; Krantz, more mercurial, walked up and down three steps each way and turn.

“Do you know what I am thinking of?” observed Krantz, after a pause in his walk.  “It is very fortunate that (lowering his voice) we have all our doubloons about us; if they don’t search us, we may yet get away by bribing.”

“And I was thinking,” rejoined Philip, “that I would sooner be here than in company with that wretch Schriften, whose sight is poison to me.”

“I did not much admire the appearance of the Commandant, but I suppose we shall know more to-morrow.”

Here they were interrupted by the turning of the key, and the entrance of a soldier with a chatty of water, and a large dish of boiled rice.  He was not the man who had brought them to the dungeon, and Philip accosted him.