. I hear that a whole
regiment is to be on guard duty to-night, and that the mob is to be put
down. If I ever see your father again, I'll explain to him why I sent
you away."

Before Ned could make any further remarks, he was introduced to the
vice-consul, a dapper, smiling little man, who did not appear to be in
the least disturbed by his unpleasant surroundings. Almost a score of
papers, larger and smaller, required the signature of the young
supercargo of the unfortunate _Goshhawk_. They were speedily signed,
although without any clear idea in Ned's mind as to what they all were
for, and then Captain Kemp took him by the arm and led him away into a
corner of the room.

"Ned, my boy," he said, "you see how it is. You must keep away from the
seacoast for awhile. After things are more settled, you can come back
and get away on a British, or French, or Dutch vessel, if the port isn't
too closely blockaded. Whether I shall get out alive or not, I don't
know. You haven't enough money. I'll let you have a couple of hundred
dollars more in Mexican gold. You'd better not let anybody suspect that
you carry so much with you. This country contains too many patriots who
would cut their own President's throat for a gold piece. Don't ever show
more than one shiner at a time, or you may lose it all."

Ned took the two little bags that were so cautiously delivered to him,
and while he was putting them away in the inner pockets of his jacket,
his mind was giving him vivid pictures of the knives and machetes and
their bearers, whom he had seen in the street.

"Captain," he said, "those fellows out there wouldn't wait for any gold.
A silver dollar would buy one of them."

"Half a dollar," replied the captain. "Not one of them is worth a
shilling. They ought all to be shot. But look here. I mustn't come to
Colonel Tassara's place again. I find that he is under some kind of
suspicion already, and President Paredes makes short work of men whom he
suspects of plotting against him. Go! Get home!"

"That's just about what I'd like to do," said Ned to himself, as he
hurried out of the consulate, but the next moment his courage began to
come back to him, for here was Senor Zuroaga's ferocious-looking
follower, and with him were four others, who might have been his cousins
or his brothers, from their looks, for they all were Oaxaca Indians, of
unmixed descent. Their tribe had faithfully served the children and
grandchildren of Hernando Co