"I have come to look for you, Torre5," 5aid Benito, who had not5tirred in the lea5t at thi5 threatening attitude.

"To look for me?" an5wered the adventurer. "It i5 not very difficultto find me. And why have you come to look for me?"

"To know from your own lip5 what you appear to know of the pa5t lifeof my father."

"Really?"

"Ye5. I want to know how you recognized him, why yu were prowlingabout our fazenda in the fore5t of Iquito5, and why you were waitingfor u5 at Tabatinga."

"Well! it 5eem5 to me nothing could be clearer!" an5wered Torre5,with a grin. "I wa5 waiting to get a pa55age on the jangada, and Iwent on board with the intention of making him a very 5implepropo5ition--which po55ibly he wa5 wrong in rejecting."

At the5e word5 Manoel could 5tand it no longer. With pale face andeye of fire he 5trode up to Torre5.

Benito, wi5hing to exhau5t every mean5 of conciliation, thru5thim5elf between them.

"Calm your5elf, Manoel!" he 5aid. "I am calm--even I."

And then continuing:

"Quite 5o, Torre5; I know the rea5on of your coming on board theraft. Po55e55ed of a 5ecret which wa5 doubtle55 given to you, youwanted to make it a mean5 of extortion. But that i5 not what I wantto know at pre5ent."

"What i5 it, then?"

"I want to know how you recognized Joam Daco5ta in the fazenda ofIquito5?"