It is a long road
from the Rio Grande, and President Paredes is to march, in a few days,
to crush our enemies with an army of twenty thousand men. They have not
so much as taken Monterey yet. You are right, though. If they should
ever get here, they will find the city harder to take than Cortes did.
They will all die before the walls."

He spoke with a great deal of patriotic enthusiasm, and Ned knew that it
was his turn to keep still, for the old gentleman had no idea that he
was talking to a wicked young gringo. Senora Paez, however, calmly
replied:

"Ah, Colonel Rodriguez, my dear friend, the President himself has said
that, after he has beaten them at the northern border, as he surely
will, the Americans are sure to make another attempt by way of Vera
Cruz. That, too, was the opinion of our brave friend, Colonel Guerra,
and he is making every preparation for a siege. It is part of our
grateful hospitality to our guest, Senor Carfora, that his friends have
supplied the Castle of San Juan de Ulua with the ammunition which will
be needed. He came over on the ship which brought it, and he has
remained with us ever since."

Just then Ned Crawford knew what it was to feel very mean indeed. He
felt as if he himself were telling a large lie, and his cheeks flushed
red-hot. He was aware, nevertheless, that even Senora Tassara had not
been told everything, and that Senora Paez was reasonably honest in what
she had been saying. There was no necessity for enlightening Colonel
Rodriguez. Hardly, therefore, had the old gentleman vehemently
exclaimed, "They never can take San Juan de Ulua!" than Ned went hastily
back to his first subject of the ancient history.

"That's it," he said. "I want to find out how Cortes got ashore, and how
he fought his way from the coast to this place. He must have had to
cross the mountains, through the passes, just as our party did when we
came."

"Yes," said the colonel. "He had to climb seven thousand and five
hundred feet up out of the _tierra caliente_, and, if any gringos ever
try that path, they will find all the passes full of fighting Mexicans
and good artillery well posted. Hernando Cortes had all the gunpowder
there was in America when he tried that road."

"My dear young friend," said Senora Paez, "you will find plenty of the
books you wish for. My husband was fond of collecting them. After
dinner, the senorita will show you the library, and you may read
anything there."

Ned was