away, beyond the reach of possible
thieves, and with it may have gone the other silverware of the Tassara
family. Senorita Felicia's quick eyes had followed his own, for she was
watching him.

"Yes, Senor Carfora," she said, "it's all gone. The china is all stored
away in the deep cellar. I don't believe they could find it, and if they
did they could not carry it away to melt it up and make dollars of it.
That's what they did with all the silver one of my aunts had, except
some spoons that were hid in the stable, under the hay. One of the
robbers went into the stable to hunt, too, and a good mule kicked him
dead. If anybody comes to rob this house while we are gone, I wish he
might be kicked by one of our mules at the hacienda. He would not steal
any more."

Ned had other things to tell her, about the United States forts, troops,
and ships of war, and she had stories to tell with excited vivacity that
set forth sadly enough the wretchedly unsettled condition of her
country, which she appeared to love so well, after all. Troubled as it
was, it was her own land, and she hated its enemies.

It was a hot, oppressive day, with a promise of greater heat soon to
come, and the weather itself might be a good enough reason why any
family should be in a hurry to get out of the _tierra caliente_. As for
the removal of valuable property, Ned had already learned that Vera Cruz
was haunted not only by bad characters from the interior, but by
desperadoes from up and down the coast and from the West India Islands.
He was not near enough to hear, however, when Zuroaga remarked to his
friend Tassara:

"You are right, my dear colonel. The Americans will hold the Texan
border with a strong hand, but if Paredes does not promptly come to
terms with them, we shall see a fleet and army at Vera Cruz before long.
This is the weak point of our unhappy republic."

"I think not," replied Tassara, gloomily. "I wish it were a solid
nation, as strong as the castle out yonder. Our weak point is that we
are cut up into factions, and cannot make use of the strength that we
really have undeveloped. As for anything else, one case of yellow fever
was reported yesterday, and I am informed that his Excellency, President
Paredes, talks of coming here shortly to confer with Colonel Guerra.
That may mean trouble for him, and neither you nor I would wish to be
brought before any such council of war as might be called together."

"It might not consist altog