too. I won't say a
word."

"The American consul," read Gordon, as his pencil wriggled across the
paper, "refuses to say anything for publication until he has
communicated with the authorities at Washington, but from all I can
learn he sympathizes entirely with Tellaman. Your correspondent has just
returned from an audience with King Tellaman, who asks him to inform the
American people that the Monroe doctrine will be sustained as long as he
rules this island. I guess that's enough to begin with," said Gordon.
"Now send that off quick, and then get away from the instrument before
the man in Octavia begins to ask questions. I am going out to
precipitate matters."

Gordon found the two kings sitting dejectedly side by side, and gazing
grimly upon the disorder of the village, from which the people were
taking their leave as quickly as they could get their few belongings
piled upon the ox-carts. Gordon walked amongst them, helping them in
every way he could, and tasting, in their subservience and gratitude,
the sweets of sovereignty. When Stedman had locked up the cable office
and rejoined him, he bade him tell Messenwah to send three of his
youngest men and fastest runners back to the hills to watch for the
German vessel and see where she was attempting to land her marines.

"This is a tremendous chance for descriptive writing, Stedman," said
Gordon, enthusiastically, "all this confusion and excitement, and the
people leaving their homes and all that. It's like the people getting
out of Brussels before Waterloo, and then the scene at the foot of the
mountains, while they are camping out there, until the Germans leave. I
never had a chance like this before."

It was quite dark by six o'clock, and none of the three messengers had
as yet returned. Gordon walked up and down the empty plaza and looked
now at the horizon for the man-of-war, and again down the road back of
the village. But neither the vessel nor the messengers, bearing word of
her, appeared. The night passed without any incident, and in the morning
Gordon's impatience became so great that he walked out to where the
villagers were in camp and passed on half way up the mountain, but he
could see no sign of the man-of-war. He came back more restless than
before, and keenly disappointed.

"If something don't happen before three o'clock, Stedman," he said, "our
second cablegram will have to consist of glittering generalities and a
lengthy interview with King Tell