{"id":"01KG8AKVCX1QVR9RJV0WVNMB4R","cid":"bafkreigyxsyty3okpxww47whknrdptuqgrq4auialmlsgioa2a4zif3xxi","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":3140,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:15.023Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 1","source_file":"01KG89J1F4D8P9BBX9AMGZ7TX7","start_line":3060,"text":"it, did he allow Don Benito to become aware that he had indulged in\r\nungenerous surmises. In short, to the Spaniard’s black-letter text, it\r\nwas best, for awhile, to leave open margin.\r\n\r\nPresently, his pale face twitching and overcast, the Spaniard, still\r\nsupported by his attendant, moved over towards his guest, when, with\r\neven more than his usual embarrassment, and a strange sort of\r\nintriguing intonation in his husky whisper, the following conversation\r\nbegan:—\r\n\r\n“Señor, may I ask how long you have lain at this isle?”\r\n\r\n“Oh, but a day or two, Don Benito.”\r\n\r\n“And from what port are you last?”\r\n\r\n“Canton.”\r\n\r\n“And there, Señor, you exchanged your sealskins for teas and silks, I\r\nthink you said?”\r\n\r\n“Yes, Silks, mostly.”\r\n\r\n“And the balance you took in specie, perhaps?”\r\n\r\nCaptain Delano, fidgeting a little, answered—\r\n\r\n“Yes; some silver; not a very great deal, though.”\r\n\r\n“Ah—well. May I ask how many men have you, Señor?”\r\n\r\nCaptain Delano slightly started, but answered—\r\n\r\n“About five-and-twenty, all told.”\r\n\r\n“And at present, Señor, all on board, I suppose?”\r\n\r\n“All on board, Don Benito,” replied the Captain, now with satisfaction.\r\n\r\n“And will be to-night, Señor?”\r\n\r\nAt this last question, following so many pertinacious ones, for the\r\nsoul of him Captain Delano could not but look very earnestly at the\r\nquestioner, who, instead of meeting the glance, with every token of\r\ncraven discomposure dropped his eyes to the deck; presenting an\r\nunworthy contrast to his servant, who, just then, was kneeling at his\r\nfeet, adjusting a loose shoe-buckle; his disengaged face meantime, with\r\nhumble curiosity, turned openly up into his master’s downcast one.\r\n\r\nThe Spaniard, still with a guilty shuffle, repeated his question:\r\n\r\n“And—and will be to-night, Señor?”\r\n\r\n“Yes, for aught I know,” returned Captain Delano—“but nay,” rallying\r\nhimself into fearless truth, “some of them talked of going off on\r\nanother fishing party about midnight.”\r\n\r\n“Your ships generally go—go more or less armed, I believe, Señor?”\r\n\r\n“Oh, a six-pounder or two, in case of emergency,” was the intrepidly\r\nindifferent reply, “with a small stock of muskets, sealing-spears, and\r\ncutlasses, you know.”\r\n\r\nAs he thus responded, Captain Delano again glanced at Don Benito, but\r\nthe latter’s eyes were averted; while abruptly and awkwardly shifting\r\nthe subject, he made some peevish allusion to the calm, and then,\r\nwithout apology, once more, with his attendant, withdrew to the\r\nopposite bulwarks, where the whispering was resumed.\r\n\r\nAt this moment, and ere Captain Delano could cast a cool thought upon\r\nwhat had just passed, the young Spanish sailor, before mentioned, was\r\nseen descending from the rigging. In act of stooping over to spring\r\ninboard to the deck, his voluminous, unconfined frock, or shirt, of\r\ncoarse woolen, much spotted with tar, opened out far down the chest,\r\nrevealing a soiled under garment of what seemed the finest linen,\r\nedged, about the neck, with a narrow blue ribbon, sadly faded and worn.\r\nAt this moment the young sailor’s eye was again fixed on the\r\nwhisperers, and Captain Delano thought he observed a lurking\r\nsignificance in it, as if silent signs, of some Freemason sort, had\r\nthat instant been interchanged.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 1"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AK2X9P0E5X4X6Z77F9M13","peer_type":"intro","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1F4D8P9BBX9AMGZ7TX7","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKVCXY5VTMPQZPR26P2DC","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:17.821Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:24.849Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}