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Updated: September 24, 2025
But poor Fragoso, abandoned and miserable, having eaten nothing for forty hours, astray in the forest, had for an instant lost his head, and we know the rest. "My friend," said Benito to him, "you will go back with us to the fazenda of Iquitos?" "With pleasure," replied Fragoso; "you cut me down and I belong to you. I must somehow be dependent."
As a last effort his hands convulsively clutched at a clump of reeds, but they could not stop him, and he disappeared beneath the waters of the river. Benito was supported on Manoel's shoulder; Fragoso grasped his hands. He would not even give his companions time to dress his wound, which was very slight. "To the jangada!" he said, "to the jangada!"
In vain Manoel tried to calm Benito, whose head seemed on fire. Cost what it might, he must get at Torres! Chance at last favored them, and it was Fragoso who put them on the right track. In a tavern in Holy Ghost Street, from the description which the people received of the adventurer, they replied that the individual in question had put up at the loja the evening before.
Fragoso, urged on by Lina, did not cease to watch Torres. Many times he tried to get him to talk about his past life, but the adventurer eluded all conversation on the subject, and ended by maintaining a strict reserve toward the barber.
"Thank me, then, with a good shake of the hand," replied Fragoso; "that is worth something." Lina held out her hand, and Fragoso kept it for a few moments while he looked into her face. And that is the reason why he did not take his place in the pirogue, and became, without appearing to be, the guard upon Torres. Did the latter notice the feelings of aversion with which he was regarded?
"Do not hesitate!" exclaimed Fragoso; "I will speak to him if you would like it better, and he will be very happy to be of use to you under the circumstances." And at that instant Manoel and Benito, coming into the town after dinner, appeared at the door of the loja, wishing to see Fragoso at work. Torres turned toward them and suddenly said: "There are two gentlemen I know or rather I remember."
On the morrow, at daybreak, Benito, Fragoso, and a few Indians took a pirogue and landed on the beach of one of the large islands which they had passed during the night. It was not necessary for the jangada to halt. They knew they could catch her up.
Minha had quite recovered from her fright, and her eyes and smiles thanked all those who had risked their lives for her. As for Lina, it seemed as though she was more grateful to the brave Fragoso than if it was herself that he had saved. "I will pay you back, sooner or later, Mr. Fragoso," said she, smiling. "And how, Miss Lina?" "Oh! You know very well!"
"Of course," replied Fragoso "old Cybele, on the farm for the last fifty years, and a pretty mulatto, Miss Lina, who is more of a companion than a servant to her mistress. Ah, what an amiable disposition! What a heart, and what eyes!
Lina, when asked, could only say that she knew not what had become of him, nor why he had left the raft without telling her anything about it. And assuredly, had Fragoso foreseen that things would have turned out as they were doing, he would never have left the Dacosta family on an expedition which appeared to promise no serious result.
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