the doctor had dressed his wounds and sewed up his
cuts, but these could not hide the fact that every step was a torment to
his pummeled ribs and lacerated flesh. He was game. Another man in his
condition would have been in the hospital. Harrison dragged himself
about because he would not admit that he was badly hurt.

Culvera turned to the Americans and explained the situation in a few
sentences. He was enjoying himself extremely because the vanity of his
companion writhed at the position in which he was placed.

"Your friend Yeager was not pleasing to our general and was sentenced to
be shot. He escaped in the night. Our companion Harrison, also I believe
a compatriot and friend of yours, is a charmer of ladies' hearts, as you
will perceive with one glance at his handsome face. Behold, then, an
elopement, romance, and moonshine. 'Linda de mi alma, amor mia, come,'
he cries. The lady comes. But, alas! for true love, the brutal vaquero
follows. They meet, and--I draw a merciful curtain over the result."

Harrison was off again in crisp and crackling language. When at last his
vocabulary was exhausted, he turned savagely upon Threewit and Farrar.

"I'll see Pasquale gets the right dope on you fellows too. You're a pair
of damned fools for coming here, believe _me_. If the old man can't get
Yeager, he'll take his friends instead. Didn't I tell you I'd make you
sick of what you did to me, Threewit? Good enough. I've got you both
where I want you now. You'll get plenty of hell, take my word for it."

Threewit turned with dignity to the Mexican. "I have nothing to say to
this man, Major Culvera. But you are a gentleman. We have been deceived.
I ask for an escort as far as the border to see us safely back."

Culvera was full of bland hospitality. "Really I can't permit you to
leave before the general returns. He would never forgive me. When
friends travel so far, they must be entertained. Not so?"

"Are we prisoners? Is that what you mean?" demanded Farrar bluntly.

The major shook his finger toward him with smiling deprecation.
"Prisoners! Fie, what a word among friends? Let us rather say guests of
honor. If I give you a guard it is as a precaution, to make sure that no
rash peon makes the mistake of injuring you as an enemy."

"We understand," Threewit answered. "But I'll just tell you one thing,
major. Our friends know where we are, and Uncle Sam has a long arm. It
will reach easily to Noche Buena."

"So, senor? P