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In a minute after I had put the question, the old gentleman made no
reply, but continued to count the money, until he had ascertained the
amount of the day's receipts. He then looked up and setting his spectacles
more firmly upon the bridge of his nose, peered at me sternly
through the glasses.

`Wages! You are in a hurry, young gentlemen,' he answered with
a sneer which became his face much better than any other expression;
`I don't expect to pay you except quarterly. Besides, I begin to think
that a dollar a day is exhorbitant—enormously exhorbitant. Do you
know that you are running great risks, very great risks in compelling
me to pay for your services. The law here looks upon you as my servants,
sons, for you are under age, and it will sustain me in my authority.
I have inquired into the matter and know all about it. I shall
not pay you any thing—not a stiver! If you dare to leave me I will
have you arrested and thrown into prison, you may depend on it. Do
you think I am going to pay your passage out here and then pay you a
dollar a day. No, no! I am not the old fool you think me. I have
had counsel and know that you must stay with me on my own terms or
try the comforts of a Portuguese prison. You may tell your story but
who will believe you in the face of my own, and the fact that you have
come out with me. No, no, young men, independent as you think yourselves
you are completely in my power!'

Our indignation, our supreme astonishment at this reply kept us silent.
We looked at one another in thorough amazement, and then by
one impulse quietly walked out of tho shop and hastening to the coffee
house. Here we found Fairfax. We immediately took him aside and
made known to him the old man's answer to our application. We then
swore vengeance. Having seated ourselves at a side table, and called
for coffee and toast we began to discuss the matter:

`There is no doubt,' said Fairfax, `that the old man has been consulting
with some persons here as to the authority he can have over
minors, and that he finds the infernal Portuguese laws will sustain him
in any exercise of authority he chooses to display over us. He would
not talk so boldly, if he was not convinced that the law was on his side.
He is right in saying that his story will be believed before our own, inasmuch
as our having come out with him shows a voluntary act of submission
on our parts.'

`So far as I can see,' said I, `we are in a fix. The old man is bad
enough for any thing. As to remaining with him longer I will not.—
He refuses to pay us what he owes us, and we can't compel him to, that
seems clear.'

`What shall be done?' asked Hewitt with a snuffle of the nose, and
looking somewhat perplexed at the crisis affairs had taken.

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`My opinion is,' said I, `that we do not delay another hour getting
out of the city and joining the Patriots.'

`There I am with you,' said Fairfax and Radsworth warmly.

`I am not so certain that we can get there or better ourselves,' responded
Hewitt. `For my part I have about resolved to remain with
the old codger, till I can get some clever Yankee Captain to give me a
passage home. There will be some vessels soon going back to the
States, I dare say, as soon as they find they can't reach Buenos Ayres.'

We felt disposed to look with contempt upon Hewitt's forbearance,
and began to talk over (we three) the best means of getting out of the
city. Fairfax said that he was satisfied that we could not pass out by
the gates, and the only way would be to try and possess ourselves of a
boat at the mole in the night and pull across the water, a mile and a
half to the inland shore.

At this moment, a Boston sea-captain, whom we had often seen and
liked for his frank manners and fine social qualities, came up to the
table where we were. As he approached a Portuguese lieutenant who
had been leaning against a columu near by smoking his cigar, slowly
retired, though not before I had caught his eye which met mine with a
singular expression.

`Ah, my young friends, you love to drink coffee better than soda, eh?'
said Capt. Conway with a smile. `Well I am glad to see you enjoying
yourselves.'

`Will you take a cup, Captain?' we asked.

`No. I have to go to the Consul's to supper, and it would spoil my
appetite.'

With these words he left us, and passed on up the saloon. He was
a large, portly, bluff looking gentleman, and had the air of a lover of
jokes and of good cheer. He was master of the barque Blakely which
lay then in the harbor, having been turned from her destination (Buenos
Ayres) as we had been, by the Brazilian cruisers, and brought into
Montevideo. We had become acquainted with him by seeing him in
the shop.

After he had left us, we finished our coffee, and together took a stroll
up into the Grand Square to hear the Governor's band play. We then
returned homeward, still deeply engaged in the discussion of the best
way of getting out of the city; for we were resolved not to remain in
it another day. Upon reaching our lodgings about half past eight
o'clock, we met at the door our friend, Captain Conway. The moment
he beheld us, he hastened towards us in the greatest excitement,
saying,

`I am glad to see you at last. You have no time to lose.'

`What is the matter? what has happened?' we asked earnestly and
filled with surprise.

`Your imprudence at the coffee-house has betrayed you into difficulty.
At this moment, I suspect an order is being issued for your
arrest.'

`By old Bedrick?' I asked indignantly.

`No. But lose no time. Hasten into your rooms and get what
clothing you can carry in bundles and then follow me to the quay.—

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My boat is there awaiting me. Your only safety is in reaching my vessel
without delay.'

We did not fully comprehend the source from whence danger was to
be apprehended, but assured that it menaced us, we did not ask for
further explanation, but hurried to our rooms, moving as lightly as we
could not to disturb the old man. There were but three of us, Hewitt
having left us in the square, to call round and see Saul Freelove.—
We had no time to think of him, though we resolved not to go without
him, as he was exposed to the like danger with ourselves. We hurriedly
took from our trunks what articles were mostly needed by us,
such as shirts, socks, vests, &c., and tied them up in our handkerchiefs.
We were not five minutes about it, and on returning to the street door
we found the good Captain walking up and down impatiently waiting
for us.

`You are in good time,' he said; `now follow me to the mole.'

As we were leaving the door, Bill Bedrick appeared, and wanted to
know where we were going? As he was a friend of ours we told him
that there was an order out for our arrest, and that we were going on
board the Blakely for security.

`Here's with you then,' he answered. `I will just go back and get
my bundle, and I will be with you before you reach the quay. But
what are you to be arrested for?'

`We hardly know,' I answered; but Capt. Conway has given the
alarm and recommended us to fly.'

`Why, the young mad-caps,' answered the Captain, `have been overheard
at the coffee house, declaring their intention to quit the city by
the first opportunity and join the patriot army. This has been reported
to the Governor-General by some spy who overheard it'

`That confounded sly-looking Portuguese lieutenant,' I exclaimed
warmly. `But we spoke in English, Captain.'

`He doubtless understood English. The Governor has his spies
every where. You have acted imprudently, but there is no help for it
now. You have to get out of their reach as soon as you can. Come,
my friends, do not delay, for in less than fifteen minutes a file of the
city guards will be at the door in search of you.'

We now pushed on after the generous hearted Captain, and reached
the mole five minutes before the nine o'clock gun was fired. Young
Bedrick joined us in a moment or twoafter our arrival. The Captain's
boat with our men was waiting for him at the stairs. The sentry stopped
him and asked his name, and that of his vessel, and then let him
pass on. As it was dark we passed with him as his sailors, having previously,
at his suggestion, tucked our coat-skirts up under our waists
to make the garment look like a roundabout. We also assumed a
swaggering, rolling gait, the better to deceive the soldier.

Just before arriving at the sentinel, the Captain had said to us,
`Boys, if he refuses to let you pass, we will take his musket away,
tumble him into the boat with us and take him on board. We, however,
passed him without suspicion. The watch, too, was not kept
with such dilligence in going from the mole, as coming into the city;

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and the numerous sea-captains constantly passing and re-passing rendered
the sentries less vigilant at that point.

We got into the boat, the Captain having sent one of the men to
Freelove's to inform Hewitt of his danger, and advise him to remain
quiet where he was, until he could join us on board the barque.

We pushed from the mole stairs just as the nine o'clock gun fired,
and pulled out to wards the Captain's vessel. The harbor was filled,
crowded with ships and brigs of every maratime nation, with about
thirty Brazilian vessels of war anchored about here and there among
them. To reach the barque, therefore, we had to pull now around the
bows of a Swedish ship, now under the stern of a Brazilian gun-brig;
then the cable of an English merchantman would bring us up, or the
stern hawser of an American ship. It was, dodge in and out for a
quarter of a mile, when we came along side of the barque, and ascended
the sides.

When we stood on her deck, we felt a sensation of freedom that we
had not experienced for some time. To be again on the deck of a
Yankee vessel, drew us in association back to our country; and to
tread upon plank that had grown in the pine forests of Maine, made
us feel ourselves almost at home again.

The Captain invited us down into the cabin, turned out both cook
and steward, and ordered a hot supper. After a little while we sat
down to the table with him, and for me, I enjoyed one of the heartiest
meals I had ever partaken of. During the progress of the supper, no
allusion was made to the circumstances which had brought us off, but
we talked only upon general subjects, such as the next news from the
States, the condition of the garrison, the force of the patriots, the progress
of the siege.

At length, after we had well eaten, the good Captain ordered wine
and glasses. These being placed before us, at his invitation we filled
and drank the following toast proposed by him:—

`The Star Spangled Banner! If we suffer one of the stars that
beam in its blue field to be extinguished, may we have the thirteen
stripes laid upon our backs!'

Having drank this sentiment with immense applause, and proportionate
pounding upon the table, we were reminded of our peculiar position
at that present time, by the following propounder from the hospitable
Captain:—

`My lads what do you intend to do?'

For at least a minute there was no reply. We looked blankly at
each other. We had decided upon nothing, and it had been continually
upon my thoughts ever since we left the house, what we should do.

`Join the patriots,' at length responded Radsworth resolutely. `We
can be landed by your boat on the main.'

`That will not be so easy as you think,' answered Captain Conway.
The whole shore is watched by guard row-boats. No boat can land or
take the water without discovery. If you will take my advice you will
do better, perhaps, than join Llavelleja—I mean for you to reach Buenos
Ayres!'

`How?' we exclaimed all at once.

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`I will tell you,' he answered, as he filled another glass of old Maderia
and passed the bottle to us with the admonition not to take `too
much for our health.'