"
At parting Senor Mendez bestowed a bag containing five hundred
gold pieces upon Stephen Boldero as a reward for the service he
had rendered him.
Geoffrey missed him greatly. For eighteen months they had been
constantly together, and it was the sailor's companionship and
cheerfulness that had lightened the first days of his captivity;
and had it not been for his advice and support he might now have
been tugging at an oar in the bey's corsair galley. Ever since they
had been at Cadiz he had daily spent an hour or two in his society;
for when work was done they generally went for a walk together on
the fortifications, and talked of England and discussed the possibility
of escape. After his departure he was thrown more than before into
the society of the merchant and his daughter. The feeling that
Dolores had, when he first saw her, excited within him had changed
its character. She was very pretty now that she had recovered her
life and spirits, and she made no secret of the deep feeling of
gratitude she entertained towards him. One day, three months after
Stephen's departure, Senor Mendez, when they were alone together,
broached the subject on which his thoughts had been turned so much
of late.
"Friend Geoffrey," he said, "I think that I am not mistaken in
supposing that you have an affection for Dolores.
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