As he was thus considering, ho was arrested by a guard of soldiers his name was demanded, and he was- removed to prison, without being able to ascertain the nature of the accusation against him. Spanish justice is notoriously dilatory, and he might have lingered in jail for months, but for the exertions of Andreas, who was now, by AlvaroV means, furnished with a 'letter of pro tection.' That faithful friend bestirred himself among the merchants, who were all influential just then. One of them, for the sake of Alvaro, offered himself as security for the Scot ; and the next morning he was set free. It appeared that he had been denounced as a spy of the buccaneers * but the name of his accuser was kept secret. He had little doubt as to the identity of that personage, however, with the masked stranger ; and he returned to his ship oppressed by the saddest mis givings as to the safety of the treasure entrusted to his care. On ascending the ship's side, the skipper communicated to him that * an unpleasant, or afc least a suspicious circumstance happened this morning at daybreak. A perigua,' he continued, * was rowed alongside us by two Indians. In the stern was a man, closely muffled in his cloak, who put yonder cask aboard us, said it was for your excellency, and pulled off again 1 did not like to reject it ; but I fear it may bring us into trouble with the authorities on shore ; as all ladings without the governor's authority are so strictly forbidden.' The cask was taken down into tho cabin ; and within it Paterson found to his great surprise the casket contain ing the twelve cotton packages, with their seals unbroken. He carefully replaced them in their receptacle, mar velling greatly at the sort of robber whom he had encountered. The cask was by Paterson secured, directed to Don Alvaro's private care, and without placing any suspicious value upon it, was stowed away in the hold, where the expected cargo was to follow. This interlude having concluded satisfactorily, the Scot proceeded to the chief business that had called him to Portobello. 