Don Manuel Y. Agular together with his faithful servant Rafaelo sail to Chile aborad the Cornilius when the outbreak of the Spanish War with the Netherlands extends their stay there indefinitely. For now, they can only wonder what has become of Donna Antuna and little Inez. Is the sinister Frei Balfaser still on a vengeful crusade to punish the family of Y. Agular? And what of Diego? It will be thirteen long years before clues to these tormenting questions are brought to light, but when they do, intriguing new developments compell Don Manuel to embark on his bold quest to reunite his long lost family.