nd proceeded to jot down his plan of campaign, altering its
details here and there as he went on, until finally he had evolved a
scheme that commended itself to him as eminently satisfactory. Then he
proceeded to jot down a number of names of persons whose co-operation it
was necessary to secure; and, this done, he called for an orderly, who
forthwith proceeded to ride hither and thither about the city, calling
at this house and that and leaving instructions that the persons whom he
named were to present themselves without fail at the Commandant's office
at a certain hour, namely, four o'clock in the afternoon, which just
gave the Commandant nice time to complete his plans before the arrival
of the persons whom he had summoned to meet him.

And in due time, with very commendable punctuality, those persons turned
up and were ushered into the Commandant's private office. There were
some thirty of them in all, and when the whole of them were present Don
Manuel proceeded to address them, at first in quick, tense tones, which
gradually changed to the fiery, impassioned language and gestures
characteristic of an invocation. For a man of his parts he was rather
an able orator, moreover he was more profoundly stirred than, probably,
he had ever before been in the whole course of his life. It is not to
be greatly wondered at, therefore, that before he ended he had wrought
his audience up to almost as high a pitch of ferocity and enthusiasm as
himself; and when at length he reached his peroration and concluded by
making a certain demand, the men who had hitherto sat listening to him
sprang to their feet with one accord and vowed, by all they held sacred,
that they would obey him and perform his behest, or die in the attempt.
And they were all resolute, determined men, too, of the seafaring class,
who looked as though they might be safely counted upon to keep their
word; wherefore, as soon as their excitement had subsided sufficiently
to permit of a return to business, Don Manuel drew toward him a bundle
of documents which he had already prepared, and which were, in fact,
temporary commissions, and distributed them, one to each man present.
Then, selecting a particular memorandum from a number which were lying
upon his desk, and referring to it for guidance from time to time, he
proceeded to give specified instructions to each person, who, having
received them, at once rose and bowed himself out, by which arrangement
the party