d to run in upon him.

There was a fighting chance for the Atlamalcans. They were so near
that by fiddling back and forth they might by a sudden dash close in.
Most likely, had the wind been strong they would have tried this, but
the breeze remained so soft that quick action was impossible. The
situation was so critical that Major Starland warned the others of
what was certain to follow an attempt to board.

"General Yozarro, I hold a repeating rifle in my hand; you are in
clear view; just before firing the cannon, I shall shoot you, and when
I pull trigger, you'll drop!"

The Dictator was on his feet about to summon the others to surrender,
with threats of the consequences that would follow a refusal. The
words of the American threw him into a panic and in his haste to
scramble back, he tumbled over the man directly behind him, not
ceasing his frantic efforts till he was cowering at the stern.

The laugh of the American was heard, before he called out:

"I'll pick you out, no matter where you are in the boat, but I sha'n't
fire till you try to run in on us. We'll rake you fore and aft, and if
you don't believe what I say, all you have to do is to test me."

The General could be heard consulting with his officers. Evidently the
counsels were divided and some favored making the rush, despite its
danger, for, as has been shown, not all of them were poltroons, but
that awful threat of the American had done what it was intended to
do. Had General Yozarro followed his own promptings, he would have
withdrawn, but he lacked the courage to do that, and in his dilemma
tried diplomacy.

"Major Starland, I have naught against you, though you have stolen my
property, but I have the right to demand that you surrender the
deserter with you. Do that, and we will trouble you no more."

"You are not troubling me in the least; I'm enjoying this, though it
doesn't seem to give you much amusement. However, you may as well save
your words regarding the noble Martella, who has served us so well. He
has cast his fate with us and I consider him worth a thousand such as
you."

There was really no call for the General to keep up the conversation
and he subsided. The action of the current steadily bore his boat
forward, but the helmsman shied off toward the northern bank, and bye
and bye, was farther down stream than the tug. Either one or the other
of the six-pounders carefully followed the relative change of
position, and an eighth o