ty, "Who commands here?"

"I do," replied the most ill-favored of the crew, stepping forward.

"You are a guerilla, are you not?"

"A captain of irregular cavalry, senor. And you?"

"I," replied the lieutenant, "am a major of regulars, attached to the
staff of General Luis Pando, and on an urgent mission to Jiguani. My
horse was killed by insurgents this morning, and I had a narrow escape,
leaving one of them dead."

"Which is the reason that two of you rode one horse in crossing the
river, and so led me to mistake you for 'mamby?'" [1] said the guerilla
captain.

"Very likely, sir, though I can't be accountable for your mistakes.
Now you may let your men make a fire by which we can dry ourselves, and
you may also have food prepared, for we are hungry."

"But your friend, Major, who is he?" asked the other, scanning Ridge's
brown canvas uniform doubtfully.

"None of your business, sir. Let it be sufficient that he is my
friend, and do as I bid you without further words."

At this Discipline, even though suspicious, yielded to the voice of
Authority, and the guerilla made surly announcement that both fire and
food were close at hand.

This proved true; for, on gaining the face of the bluff, our friends
found themselves in the presence of some twenty more guerillas, who
were gathered about fires, cooking and eating strips of meat from a
recently butchered steer. Their horses were picketed close at hand,
and beyond them grazed a herd of small wild-looking Cuban cattle. For
these this detachment of "beef-riders" had scoured the country-side,
and they were now returning with them to Jiguani. A scout from this
party, patrolling the river-bank, had notified the captain that
strangers were about to cross from the other side, and he had thus been
enabled to prepare for their reception.

He was evidently disappointed that they and their belongings could not
be seized as prizes of war, and manifested this by the envious glances
that he cast at Senorita as well as upon the weapons that Ridge was
drying and cleaning. Especially was the young trooper's rifle an
object of longing admiration, and, after a critical examination, the
captain even went so far as to offer to buy it; but Ridge refused to
part with the gun, whereupon the man turned sulky, and declined to hold
further intercourse with him.

After a while the whole party again took the road, Lieutenant Navarro
riding a spare horse that he had "requisitione