n, you say? I want to know! He's big enough for three,
ain't he?"

Rita laughed, in spite of herself. She beckoned to Cousin Jim, who came
up and shook hands with the widow with grave sympathy. But he seemed
preoccupied, and, while they were preparing to return to the ruined
farm, he was pulling his big beard and meditating with a puzzled air.

"Look here!" he broke out at last, addressing his men. "I've been
wondering what was wrong. I couldn't seem to round up, somehow, and now
I've got it. Where's that poor old Johnny? I left him with you when I
rode forward to reconnoitre."

The rough riders looked at one another, and hung their heads.

"Guess he must have dropped behind," said Raynham. "We didn't wait long
after you signalled to us to come on. We--came."

"That's so!" clamoured the rough riders, in sheepish chorus. "We came,
Cap'n Jim. That's a fact!"

"Well--that's all right!" said Jim. "You might have brought the old
Johnny along, though, seems to me. Two of you ride back and get him;
you, Bill, and Juckins. If he seems used up, Juckins can carry him, pony
and all."

Juckins, a huge Californian, second only to Montfort in stature,
chuckled, and rode off with Raynham at a hand gallop.

Montfort turned to Rita.

"I haven't had time to tell you about it before," he said. "Cousin Rita,
I've been hunting for you for three days. We met an old Johnny--an old
gentleman, I should say--riding about on a pony, for all the world like
Yankee Doodle. He'd got lost, poor old duffer, among these inferior
crossroads, and didn't know whether he was in China or Oklahoma. We
picked him up, and, riding along, it came out that he was searching for
his ward, a young lady who had run away from a convent. Ever heard of
such a person, missy? He had started out alone, to ride about Cuba till
he found her. Kind of pocket Don Quixote, about five foot high, white
hair, silk clothes; highly respectable Johnny."

"Don Miguel!" cried Rita. "Poor, dear, good Don Miguel! I have never
written to him, wicked that I am. Oh, where is he, Cousin Jim?"

"Come to ask him," Jim continued, "it appeared that the young lady's
name was Montfort. Now, I had just had a letter from Uncle John,
wanting me to raise the island to get hold of you and ship you North at
once. He had had no letters; was alarmed, you understand. Laid up with a
bad knee, or would have come himself. I was just going to start back to
the city in search of you, when up comes Do