352 The Smugglers of Algesiras. [Ocr. 
but always alike enterprising, clever, and true to his trust. His character 
and mode of life were well known to Fernandez, and they had more than 
once come in Collision on the open sea. Former acts of kindness had 
rendered him bound in gratitude to the Spaniard, and this, added to a 
knowledge of his character, caused the present expedient to be adopted, 
with what success will be presently seen. Fernandez described accu- 
rately and minutely the appearance of the man upon whom he had fallen 
on the preceding night. He desired Hadoud, if possible, to hunt him 
out, and employ any means he might gain possession of to detect his 
employer, and the true state of these latter occurrences. He gave, 
moreover, a promise that, beyond the payment of any expenses which 
might be incurred, and with which of course he should stand charged, 
there would also be provided for the Moor a remuneration sufficiently 
generous to act as a present inducement for vigilance and exertion. 
This was the outline of the scheme, and it commenced favourably. Hadoud, 
as was expected by the officer, had no difficulty in identifying the person 
described ;—a long course of traffic in the same line had brought him in 
contact with most of the principals—and with Captain Saavedra, of the 
Buena Ventura, amongst the number. He could not clearly see his way at 
that time ; but if Captain Fernandez would rely on him, and give him time 
and means, he had no doubt his plans would be successfully prosecuted. 
The two men parted from each other, sanguine as to the issue of their 
scheme. 
We must now pass over toa later period of time, and suppose that the 
space of a month has intervened between this event and that which we 
are about to narrate. 
Towards sunset of a fine calm evening, a shore-boat was seen plying 
alongside our old friend, the Buena Ventura, as she lay attached to a 
buoy before the pleasant little town of Catalan. She had lately been a 
voyage, the exact particulars of which have not been handed down to us, 
and had arrived that very afternoon in the roads of Catalan—a town, as 
every one knows, placed on the eastern side of the rock, and just above 
Europa Point. A man in Moorish dress, who might speedily have been 
recognized as Hadoud of Gibraltar, descended from the gangway of the 
felucca, and was soon quietly seated in the boat, which, without other 
burthen, then put off, and, in the uncouth fashion of the place, was rowed 
onwards till the eye of the spectator might lose it amongst the thousands 
that flock about the landing-places and vessels moored near the port of 
Gibraltar. We also shall lose sight of the Moor for a few hours, leaving 
to the reader that mode of employing them which his fancy shall supply 
as the most appropriate to the occasion. 
This interval having elapsed, Hadoud might again be seen on the same 
spot of the neutral ground, where a few weeks before he had been 
engaged in that conversation with Fernandez which led to his subsequent 
voyage and the present events. His former companion was again with 
him, and the animated looks of either party proved that they were 
employed in considerations which interested them deeply, though we 
have nothing beyond the concluding words of their discourse to furnish 
any ampler indications of the true case. The young captain was pacing 
to and fro on the low ground, at times putting some short question to 
the Moor, who, in a more stationary attitude, shewed, by a quick accent 
and subtle look, that his own part in the matter was neither feigned nor 
trivial. Fernandez paused for a moment, and looking full into his com- 
