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27 MORIN, THE FISHERMAN
 When Rosa Varona regained1 consciousness sufficiently2 to understand what had happened she proved herself a person of no little self-control. She went to pieces for a moment, as was only natural, but O'Reilly soon succeeded in calming her. Nor did he have to remind her twice that this was no time for weakness or hysteria; it was she, in fact, who first voiced the fear that Cobo dead was scarcely less of a menace than Cobo alive.  
"What are we going to do with him?" she inquired.
 
Jacket, too, appreciated the dangers of the situation. "We must get rid of him quickly," said he, "for his men are close by; he will be missed and there will be a search."
 
"I don't intend to make him a present of that treasure," O'Reilly said, grimly. "It is our only salvation3."
 
"But how are we going to hide him?" Jacket inquired. "One might as well try to conceal4 a church; oxen couldn't hoist5 him out of that hole."
 
"Precisely6! He has made our work easy for us. We can't take more than a small part of the money with us, anyhow; the rest will have to lie here until the war is over. Well! We shall leave Cobo on guard over what remains7!"
 
Jacket was immensely pleased with this idea, once he had grasped it. "What could be better?" he cried. "The man's spirit is evil enough to frighten people away and we will drop stones upon him, so that he can learn the taste of his own medicine. It suits me exactly to think of Colonel Cobo standing8 on his head in a hole in the ground for the rest of eternity9!"
 
O'Reilly was by this time suffering the full reaction from the events of the past half-hour and he was nearer exhaustion10 than he dreamed, but, conquering his repugnance11 for his unescapable task, he lowered himself once more into the well. His arms were weak, however, and his fingers numb13, so he fell rather than slid the length of the rope. He managed to open the door of the treasure-chamber, then entered and loaded his pockets with gold. He sent up the jewel-box at the end of the rope, dragged the body of Cobo into the cave, then wedged the barricade15 back into place. It required the combined strength of Rosa and Jacket to help him the last few feet of his climb.
 
"Now fetch stones, rubbish, anything—and throw it in there," he gasped16.
 
The boy and the girl fell to with a will, and after a time Johnnie joined them. Slowly, laboriously17, the three of them carried debris18 from the edge of the quarry19 and bricks from the ruined house; they scraped up armfuls of leaves and trash—anything, in fact, which would serve to raise the bottom of the shaft20 and conceal the entrance to their enemy's resting-place. It was slavish work, but O'Reilly kept them at it until they were ready to drop. Daylight overtook them at their task.
 
They were weak, sick, deadly tired; they could barely shuffle21 a few yards at a time when they finally reached Asensio's hut; nevertheless there was hope in their hearts, for O'Reilly's ragged14 clothes sagged22 with the weight of gold pieces and the little metal box he carried was heavy. Nor were they greatly concerned about the safety of the treasure they had left behind, for the entrance to the cavern23 lay deeply buried, and Cobo, the guerrilla, stood guard over the chests of plate and the casks of coin.
 
Evangelina, vastly bewildered at the sight of the coin which was forced into her palm, went for food and spent most of the day in cooking it. The treasure-hunters alternately slept and ate. It was not until well along toward evening that Rosa and O'Reilly felt any desire to take stock of the contents of that jewel-box, but finally, with heads together and with backs to the door of the bohio, they made a furtive24 examination. It was a task that held them spellbound, for there were loose gems25 of many varieties, some well, some badly cut; there were pieces of antique Spanish jewelry26, valuable mainly by virtue27 of their antiquity28, clumsy settings of silver and gold containing dead, uninteresting stones; others of the finest and most delicate workmanship. Some of the pieces were like glittering cobwebs enmeshing sparks of fire and drops of blood. They found emeralds and sapphires29 the value of which they did not attempt to estimate; and, besides these, a miscellaneous assortment31 of semiprecious stones. There was a fine collection of opals of every size and color, among which were a number of huge flat black ones, indescribably gorgeous with their ever-changing peacock hues32. But finest of all the lot were the pearls. Where old Don Esteban had secured these latter was a mystery, for he had not been a widely traveled man. They were splendid, unrivaled in size and luster33. Some had the iridescence34 of soap-bubbles, others ranged from pink to deepest chocolate in color. To touch them was like sacrilege.
 
O'Reilly realized vaguely35 that he held in his lap a fortune greater than his wildest dreams had ever compassed. These were the jewels of a rajah. It seemed incredible that this ragged girl beside him was a regal heiress, the possessor of a treasure such as kings might envy. After a time he realized that the mere36 possession of these gems constituted a new and overwhelming menace.
 
All that evening he and Rosa cowered37 in the darkness, whispering furtively38, their nerves on edge, their senses strained. It seemed to them that new and unsuspected perils40 stalked abroad through the night.
 
Morning found all hands more nearly rational and feeling the first gnawings of a healthy hunger. Even Asensio confessed to a quite miraculous41 improvement. While Evangelina prepared breakfast the lovers agreed upon a story to explain the origin of that mysterious gold piece, and later Johnnie warned Jacket for a second time to keep his tongue between his teeth.
 
"We will have to be doubly careful now," he told the boy. "An unguarded word or an incautious move would be the end of us."
 
Jacket nodded his complete comprehension. "Sure! All Spaniards are robbers and they'd kill us for a peso. Yes, and the pacificos are no better. I tell you we need to get out of this place."
 
"I intend to arrange it at once, but—the sight of those jewels has frightened me. If we are searched—if we are even suspected—"
 
"Oh, Rosa wouldn't have any more use for her pretty trinkets. She'd be in heaven before you could scratch your nose."
 
O'Reilly frowned. "She isn't at all strong yet. I'm wondering if she can endure the hardships we'll encounter when, or if, we get away."
 
"Exactly what I was thinking. I've been considering another plan."
 
"Indeed?" O'Reilly scanned the face of his young friend with interest. He was beginning to have a high regard for Jacket's capabilities42, and the boy's exploit of the night before certainly entitled him to be heard upon any subject.
 
"I told you about my friend at the market," the latter continued.
"Well, he is a miserable44 Spaniard, but he has a son in the manigua."
"One of us?" Johnnie was surprised.
 
"Yes. The old fellow owns a volandra in which he brings charcoal45 from the eastward46 twice a month."
 
There was a moment of silence; then O'Reilly said, slowly, as if hesitating even to voice such a suggestion, "You mean—he might take us out of here—on his schooner47?"
 
"Who knows? He's not a bad old fellow and he likes me. But there would be no place for women."
 
"How well does he like you?"
 
"Oh, we are like two thieves."
 
After another period of thought O'Reilly said, "Take me to him, and remember I'm your brother Juan."
 
The Matanzas market did not present a scene of great activity when the two friends slunk into it. It was midday, and what food had earlier been offered for sale had for the most part long since disappeared. All but a few of the stalls were empty, and a number of emaciated48 reconcentrados were searching listlessly among them for neglected scraps49, or imploring50 aid from such marketmen as still lingered about. Like most Spanish markets, the building was far from clean and housed odors unpleasant even to starving people. In the smelliest section, at one of the fish-stalls, Jacket accosted51 a villainous old brigand52 in a rough Gallego cap, baggy53 blouse and trousers, and straw sandals.
 
"Good day, my Captain," he cried, cheerily.
 
The Spaniard raised his head, scowled54 ferociously55, then waved a long, thin-bladed knife in menacing fashion.
 
"Aha! So there you are, robber! Be off now before I slit56 your greedy little belly57!" He spoke58 in an angry, husky voice. When Jacket stood his ground he reached for him with a hand upon which blood and fish-scales had dried. "Didn't I promise to give you to the soldiers if you came back to bother me?"
 
Jacket was unabashed by this hostile reception. He grinned broadly and with an impudent59 eye he scanned the empty premises60. "Where is my little fish?" he demanded. "As I live, I believe you have sold it! God! What a miser43! For the sake of another centavo you would see me starve? There's a heart for you!"
 
"YOUR little fish!" roared the brigand, clashing his blade on the filthy61 counter. "No shark ever stole so many fish as you. Come, I shall make an end of you, and have some peace. Starve? YOU? Bah! Your body is like a gourd62."
 
"Yes, and quite as hollow. I starve because you possess a heart of stone. One little fish, no longer than your finger. Just one?"
 
"Not so much as a fin12!" cried the man. "Can I feed all the rebels in
Matanzas?"
"One little fish," Jacket wheedled63, "for the sake of Miguelito, who is bravely fighting in the manigua, to the shame of his miserly old father, fattening64 on the groans65 of good patriots66 like me! Must I remind you again that Miguelito was my brother? That I have robbed my own belly in order to give him food?"
 
"Liar67!"
 
"It is true."
 
"You never saw him."
 
"Miguel Morin? With a scar on his neck? The bravest boy in all the Orient? Ask him about Narciso Villar. Come, give me my fish! Or must I lie down and die before your very eyes to prove my hunger?"
 
"What a nuisance!" grumbled68 the marketman. He reached into a basket and flung a mackerel upon the table. "There! I saved it for you, and sent the good women of Matanzas away empty-handed. But it is the very last. Annoy me again and I shall open you with my knife and put salt on you."
 
"Ah! You ARE my good captain!" Jacket cried in triumph, possessing himself of the prize. "Where would I have been but for you?" Turning to O'Reilly, who had looked on from a distance at this artificial quarrel, he said, "Captain Morin, this is that brother Juan of whom I have told you."
 
Morin smiled at Johnnie and extended his dirty palm. "The little fellow can speak the truth when he wishes, it seems. I began to doubt that he had a brother. What a boy, eh?" Leaning closer, he whispered, hoarsely69: "It is cheaper to give him a fish than to have him steal a whole basketful. But he is a great liar. Even yet I'm not sure that he knows my Miguelito."
 
"You have a son with the Insurrectos?"
 
"Yes." The fisherman cast a furtive glance over his shoulder. "He is a traitor71 of the worst sort, and I don't approve of him, but he's a brave boy and he loves fighting. Sometimes I get hungry to see him."
 
"Why don't you go and fight by his side?" Jacket demanded.
 
"God forbid!" Morin flung up his hands. "I'm a loyal subject."
 
"Well, we are going back to fight. We are ............
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