and his tense pose and rigid hand indicated that he was pressing
the trigger.

"Hold on!" Kit shouted. "Don't shoot!"

The sailor lowered his pistol and Kit, springing out of the shadow,
waved his hat.

"Come forward. We are friends."

The _rural_ turned and called to somebody, and then joining Kit glanced
at the sailor's pistol with a dry smile.

"It looks as if I had run some risk. You did not mean to be surprised."

"No," said Kit; "one takes precautions. I came very near being surprised
last night."

"So the _Galdareros_ are about? We suspected something like this."

"I suppose it was why you meant to search the _hacienda_. But did
you see us?"

The _rural_ indicated a plume of smoke that curled up from behind the
ruined wall.

"We saw _that_. When one takes precautions it is prudent to see they are
complete."

Kit nodded. There was no use in getting angry; his men were rash and
careless, but, to some extent, this was why he had chosen them. They had,
no doubt, lighted the fire to cook breakfast.

"Where is your companion?" he asked.

"There are three of us; you will see the others in a few moments. They
watch the road farther on. It is usual for us to patrol in twos, but of
late some have not returned. A revolution is a bad time for _rurales;_
one pays old reckonings then."

Kit smiled. "I imagine it would have been bad for any _Galdarero_ who had
tried to steal away down the road. But I expect you know me?"

"We have orders about you, senor; you see a servant of yours," the
_rural_ answered with a bow. "But it might be better if you told us
your plans."

After giving him a cigarette, Kit sent the sailor to tell the others and
when the _rurales_ came up offered them a share of the breakfast his men
had cooked. While they ate he told them what had brought him there and
where he was going.

"So the American is dead? I have seen him at the presidio," one remarked.
"Well, senor, it would be prudent to finish your business at Salinas
to-night. After that, I do not know. There has been fighting and some of
the president's soldiers have been killed in the swamps."

"I must finish the business," Kit replied. "It does not matter what
happens afterwards."

The _rural_ nodded. "The American talked like that. Quick and short,
but what he said went. However, we will go to Salinas with you when you
are ready."

Kit got up and gave his men an order. "I am ready now."

They set off soon afterwards and