ow--wakin' a fellur out o' his sleep at
this time o' the night? 'Twould sarve ye right if I sent a bullet
through the door at ye. Take care what you're about. I've got my
shootin'-iron handy; a Colt's revolver--biggest size at thet."

"_Por Dios_! what does this mean?" mutters De Lara.

"Tell him, Diaz," he adds, in _sotto-voce_ to the cockfighter--"tell him
we're from the British man-o'-war with--_Carrai_! I forgot, you don't
speak English. I must do it myself. _He_ won't know who it is." Then
raising his voice: "We want to see Don Gregorio Montijo. We bring a
message from the British man-o'-war--from the two officers."

"Consarn the British man-o'-war!" interrupts the surly speaker inside;
"an' yur message, an' yur two officers, I know nothin' 'bout them. As
for Don Gregorio, if ye want to get sight on him, ye're a preeshus way
wide o' the mark. He ain't here any more. He's gin up the house, an'
tuk everything o' hisn out o't this mornin'. I'm only hyar in charge o'
the place. Guess you'll find both the Don an' his darters at the
_Parker_--the most likeliest place to tree thet lot."

Don Gregorio gone!--his gold--his girls! Only an empty house, in charge
of a caretaker, who carries a Colt's repeating pistol, biggest size, and
would use it on the smallest provocation!

No good their going inside now, but a deal of danger. Anything but
pleasant medicine would be a pill from that six-shooter.

"_Carramba! Caraio! Chingara! Maldita_!"

Such are the wild exclamations that issue from the lips of the
disappointed housebreakers, as they turn away from the dismantled
dwelling, and hasten to regain their horses.

CHAPTER FORTY FIVE.

A SCRATCH CREW.

It was a fortunate inspiration that led the ex-haciendado to have his
gold secretly carried on board the Chilian ship; another, that
influenced him to transfer his family, and household gods, to an hotel
in the town.

It was all done in a day--that same day. Every hour, after the sailing
of the _Crusader_, had he become more anxious; for every hour brought
intelligence of some new act of outlawry in the neighbourhood,
impressing him with the insecurity, not only of his Penates, but the
lives of himself and his ladies. So long as the British ship lay in
port, it seemed a protection to him; and although this may have been but
fancy, it served somewhat to tranquillise his fears. Soon as she was
gone, he gave way to them, summoned Silvestre, with a