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In her they found a sailor who was to accompany them on their voyage a noted contrabandista, called Francisco, whose friendship Owen had lately acquired, and who acted as his lieutenant on his marine excursions.
"It is I," said the officer who had taken the lead in the King's flight, and to whom the whole of the monarch's followers looked for direction. "His Majesty wants to speak with you." "I'll come," replied the contrabandista. "Do you know why he wants me?" "Yes," replied the officer briefly. "I suppose it is to find fault with me for our want of success."
I found the Contrabandista by no means such pleasant company on the road as I had been led to suppose he would prove from the representation of my host of Cordova.
The contrabandista turned from him sharply and hurried to the door, where another of his followers appeared, who whispered a few words to him, received an order, and stepped back, while his leader turned to the father and said something, which resulted in the old man joining the two lads and pressing their hands, looking at them sadly.
The contrabandista, too, had this further advantage that he could easily refresh his exhausted men, who were now suffering cruelly from hunger and thirst. To this end he gave his orders quickly to several, who hurried away, to return at the end of a short time bearing a couple of skins of wine and bread from their regular store.
The Contrabandista was so satisfied with the price which I gave him for his beast, and the general treatment which he had experienced at my hands during the time of his attendance upon me, that he would fain have persuaded me to retain him as a servant, assuring me that, in the event of my compliance, he would forget his wife and children and follow me through the world.
I did intend to lead you through the forest and along a path I know by the mountain-side; but it is possible that the French are there before us." "And are these your plans of which you boasted?" cried the King bitterly. "No, sire," replied the contrabandista bluntly. "Your Majesty's delay has upset all those." The King made an angry gesticulation. "How could I help it?" he said bitterly.
He, too, was breathless with running, for he sank quickly on one knee, caught at the hand which held the pistol and raised it quickly to his lips, as he exclaimed in French: "No, no, your Majesty! Not that!" "They are spies," shouted the tired-looking Spaniard who had given the command which had sent his followers to make the seizure in the loft. "No spies," cried the contrabandista.
Why, were I to work all my life at my trade as a carrier, I could never hope to save fifty doubloons, nay, nor the fourth part of that sum. It is not so very long ago that I risked my life constantly as a contrabandista, for a profit of one-fifth of that amount."
Pen watched the contrabandista as he advanced and saluted the dethroned monarch without a trace of anything servile; the Spanish gentleman spoke as he addressed his sovereign in a low tone, but his words were not audible to the young rifleman. Still the latter could interpret them to himself by the Spaniard's gestures.
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