d the colonel; and he shook hands warmly with me.
"Glad to see you, youngster," he said; "but be quick and grow into a
man. We want sturdy fellows who can handle a sword, and fight for their
land."

"Then they are aggressive, Preston?" said my father.

"Aggressive! You never heard such overbearing insolence."

"Yes, insolence," said the other officer. "Would you believe it,
Captain Bruton; they demand that we shall immediately give up this
land--this settlement which we have taken in the name and by permission
of his Majesty the King--and go."

"Where?" said my father, gravely.

"Ah, that they do not say," cried Colonel Preston. "An officer has come
with this command from the governor of their settlement, and, in the
customary haughty style of the overbearing Spaniard, the message has
been delivered, and the ambassador is coming to meet us at the General's
in about an hour for our reply as to how soon we shall be gone."

"That sounds Spanish," said my father. "Then they do not propose to
reimburse us for all that we have done, or to find us another
settlement?"

"No, no, no," cried the colonel, angrily; "our orders are to go--to
evacuate the settlement at once."

"That would be a painful task if we had to submit."

"Submit!" said the colonel, angrily. "Surely, Bruton, you would not
advocate such a plan after all that we have done?"

My father made no reply, but turned to look thoughtfully at the Spanish
ship, while the colonel seemed to be raging with anger.

"You will be present at the meeting, of course?" he said.

"Yes," said my father, quickly; "I have come on purpose. We must have
this peaceably settled if possible."

"Good heavens!" cried the colonel. "Ah, here is the General," he cried,
as the quiet, grave, benevolent man came up, dressed in a very shabby
uniform, whose gold lace was sadly frayed and tarnished. "Hark here,
sir; Captain Bruton talks of a peaceful settlement of this difficulty."

"Indeed!" said the General, frowning; and I looked at him eagerly, as I
recalled that he it was who had been spoken of as the leader of our
expedition. "Well, we shall see."

"And very shortly too," said Colonel Preston, warmly, "for here they
come."

All eyes were directed toward the large boat which had just pushed away
from the Spaniard, and which was now running rapidly toward the shore,
with the blades of the oars flashing, the flag in the stern-sheets
trailing in the water, and the glint