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"Do just as you like, Minha," replied Joam Garral, smiling in the sad way he often did. "That will be nice!" "I leave everything to your good taste." "And that will do us honor, father. It ought to, for the sake of the splendid country we are going through which is yours, by the way, and into which you are to enter after so many years' absence." "Yes, Minha; yes," replied Joam.
He heard a few words exchanged between Joam and the Indian, and from the cloud which passed over his face it was easy to see that the sending of this letter considerably surprised him. HOWEVER, if Manoel, to avoid giving rise to a violent scene on board, said nothing on the subject of Torres, he resolved to have an explanation with Benito.
Here Torres, with crossed arms, gave the whole family a look of inconceivable insolence. "So that is you last word?" said he, extending his hand toward Joam Garral. "No, that is not my last word." "What is it, then?" "This, Torres. I am master here. You will be off, if you please, and even if you do not please, and leave the jangada at this very instant!"
The adventurer, seated opposite to Joam Garral, who was always taciturn, listened to all that was said, but took no part in the conversation. Benito quietly and attentively watched him. The eyes of Torres, with a peculiar expression, constantly sought his father. One would have called them the eyes of some wild beast trying to fascinate his prey before he sprang on it.
Araujo is there ready to take you far away from Manaos, on the other bank of the Amazon where your track will never be discovered. Father, you must escape this very moment! It was the judge's own suggestion!" "It must be done!" added Manoel. "Fly! I! Fly a second time! Escape again?" And with crossed arms, and head erect, Joam Dacosta stepped forward.
Although this recital was of a nature to corroborate all that Joam Dacosta had said on the subject of Torres, and of the bargain which he had endeavored to make, Judge Jarriquez could not restrain a smile of incredulity. "There is the case, sir," said Manoel. "For not a single instant has it been in our hands, and the man who gives it to you is he who took it from the body of Torres."
He fell beneath he blows of the thieves, and was doubtless dragged away and thrown over some precipice, for his body was never found." "And this Dacosta?" asked Joam Garral. "Well, his crime did not do him much good, for suspicion soon pointed toward him. He was accused of having got up the affair. In vain he protested that he was innocent.
Touching were the adieus, but an engagement was made for them to see him again on their return at Manaos, and later on the fazenda of Iquitos. On the morning of the morrow, the fifth of September, the signal for departure was given. Joam Dacosta and Yaquita, with their daughter and sons, were on the deck of the enormous raft.
The two young men, and Fragoso and Joam Garral, thinking no more of danger, rushed out of the house, guns in hand. Scarcely were they outside when two of the alligators made a half turn and ran toward them. A dose of buckshot to the head, close to the eye, from Benito, stopped one of the monsters, who, mortally wounded, writhed in frightful convulsions and fell on his side.
It was Fragoso! Had, then, the brave fellow succeeded in the enterprise of which he had spoken to nobody? Had he found the party to which Torres belonged? Had he discovered some secret which would yet save Joam Dacosta? He hardly knew. But in any case he was in great haste to acquaint Judge Jarriquez with what he had ascertained during his short excursion. And this is what had happened.
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