ht!" said the general. "And there will be sharp eyes on the watch
while Santa Anna's friends are getting ready for his arrival. He may
appear to come peaceably, but do I not know him? He never yet forgot or
forgave an enemy. He will come back to settle up all old accounts."

"Well," said Ned, "we need not be here to be shot at. I packed up, all
ready, days ago. But, general, I guess I can ride better than I did the
other time. I don't need to have so fat a pony."

"My dear fellow," replied the general, soberly, "you will be mounted on
a horse that can make a swift run, if necessary. I am glad that you
will know what to do with him."

In other things than horsemanship, Ned had made wonderful advances since
he came ashore out of the norther, in the Bay of Vera Cruz. It was as if
he had grown a number of years older in becoming so much more
experienced. Moreover, he knew so much already about the plots and
counterplots which were going on that it was of little use to keep some
things from him. He was, in fact, almost full-grown as a Mexican
conspirator, and he was sure to do whatever he could against either a
monarchy under Paredes or a dictatorship under Santa Anna. It was a full
hour later when they were joined by Senora Paez. She came on a special
errand, for almost her first remark was:

"General, there will be danger from robbers of all sorts. I shall not
dare to keep a great deal of money in the house. I have not much,
either, that I can spare for yourself, but you must take this and spend
it to beat them. What's more, I want you to take my jewels with you and
hide them somewhere in the mountains. Senora Tassara's are already in a
safe place. I hope Senor Carfora has enough."

"Oh, yes!" exclaimed Ned. "I have hardly spent anything, and Captain
Kemp gave me another hundred, from father. I almost wish it were all in
bank-bills, though, for gold and silver are heavy things to carry."

"Well, as to that," laughed the general, "I do not know what kind of
paper money we could make in Mexico, just now. That sort of thing will
do only under a pretty solid government. But then, a dollar will go
further in this country than it will in the United States. It looks as
if horses were worth only five dollars a head, and men about half as
much. There are too many that seem ready to sell themselves for
nothing."

He said that wearily and sadly, for he was at heart a true patriot and
he believed himself to be doing his best to