rvice,
that he is ready to turn traitor, and hand us over some correspondence
of Santa Anna, of which he has somehow got possessed. Being a traitor,
he won't trust any one, and the only plan we can hit upon is, that he
shall make a journey to San Miguel, thirty miles north of this, as if on
business. I am to make an expedition in that direction, and am to take
him prisoner. He will then hand over the papers. We shall bring him
here, and, after keeping him for a time, let him go on parole. No
suspicion will therefore at any future time arise against him, which
there might be if we met in any other way. The papers are very
important, and the affair must not be suffered to slip through. The
country between this and San Miguel is peaceful enough, but we hear that
El Zeres' band is out somewhere in that direction. He has something like
two hundred cut-throats with him of his own, and there is a rumour that
other bands have joined him. Now I want you to go on to-morrow to San
Miguel. Go in there after dusk, and take up your quarters at this
address: it is a small wine-shop in a street off the market. Get up as
Mexicans; it only requires a big cloak and a sombrero. You can both
speak Spanish well enough to pass muster. Stay all next day, and till
daybreak on the morning afterwards, and then ride back on this road. You
will find out in the first place whether Cabra has arrived, and in the
next place whether El Zeres is in the neighbourhood. I shall only bring
forty men, as I do not wish it to be supposed that I am going on more
than a mere scouting expedition. You understand?"

'"All right, Cap; we'll do it," I said, and we went off to our quarters.

'I can't say I altogether liked the job. It was a long way from
headquarters, and, do what they may, two men can't fight more than, say,
ten or a dozen. I was rather surprised to see by Rube's face that he
rather liked it; but I did not find out till late that night what it was
pleased him,--then the truth came out.

'"We had better start early, Seth," said he; "say at daybreak."

'"What for, Rube?" I said; "the Cap said we were to go in after dusk.
It's only thirty miles; we shan't want to start till three o'clock."

'Rube laughed. "I don't want to get there before dusk, but I want to
start at daybreak, and I'll tell you why. You remember Pepita?"

'"There," said I, "if I didn't think it had something to do with a
woman. You are always running after some one, Rube. They will