plish?"

"To help General Yozarro to recover his boat."

"How?"

"I expected him to dash forward and board."

"He lacked the courage to attempt it."

"I am sorry to agree with you."

"But he was wise; I kept one of the guns continually bearing upon him
and would have blown him and his men to kingdom come."

Again the Captain puffed his cigarette. He looked dreamily down the
river where the sailing craft had passed from sight.

"You would not have harmed General Yozarro or anyone in the boat."

"You are insulting, Captain; I could not have missed them."

"The port gun had no charge in it!"

"Good heavens! is that the truth?" demanded the astounded American.

"You have only to examine the piece for yourself to learn that it is."

"Did General Yozarro know it?"

The Captain puffed several times so hard that the point of fire
touched his mustache, then he impatiently flung the bit out of the
window. Superbly self-possessed as he was, he could not conceal his
anger.

"How could he help knowing it, when by his own orders the charge was
withdrawn before we left Atlamalco? What his whim was I didn't ask and
do not care."

"Knowing that, why did he hesitate?"

"Because," replied Captain Ortega with a sneer, "he feared you might
have learned the truth, and reloaded the gun. I had no way of telling
him different."

"Why did you not tell _me_?"

Looking straight in the eyes of the American, the Captain said:

"I am an Atlamalcan!"

"And the best of the lot! But, Captain, did you not fear I would carry
out my threat of shooting you when you ran the boat aground?"

"I expected you to _try_ to do so, but I, too, should have done some
shooting also."

"You told me you were unarmed."

"And when I said I had no weapon on me, it was the truth, but I did
not tell you that I did not know where to lay hand on a revolver
whenever it should become necessary."

"I respect your frankness; I can suspect your plan, but may I not hear
it from your own lips?"

"I was on guard, and had you raised your weapon when standing below, I
should have fired my own first, and pardon me, Senor, I should not
have missed. Your two friends were also in fair range and would have
received my attention in the same moment."

"I must consider it fortunate that I did not act on my impulse, for at
no time did I fear anything of that nature from you. Having refrained,
what then was your plan?"

"I had not a doubt that General Yozarro