reluctantly
gave up Mexico. From that day onward, in each of the successive
revolutions, it had been a first object with each new tyrant of the
nominal republic or empire to get control of the fortress, which
dominated nearly all of the commerce of Mexico with the outer world. At
the present time, it was commanded by an officer whom President Paredes
believed that he could trust--or he would have shot him. This, of
course, was the main reason for the dark doubts of Senor Zuroaga. On the
other hand, it might be taken into account that any prominent Mexican
officer, like Colonel Guerra, would be willing to strengthen himself for
such political changes as were entirely likely to come. For the sake of
old friendship and family ties, for instance, he might be even desirous
of binding to his own interests a man who was known to have a large
number of personal adherents in the important State of Oaxaca.

That very man stood aft upon the deck of the _Goshhawk_ when the boat of
Colonel Guerra touched her side, but he did not at once come forward to
extend a greeting. That ceremony was performed sufficiently well by
Captain Kemp, and the responses of the castle commander were to the last
degree enthusiastic. According to him, indeed, the fort could not have
held out against a siege for a week without the powder in the hold of
the bark. Therefore, it might be that not much of it was likely to be
distributed among the other forces of Mexico. The captain had many
things to say, but before long Colonel Guerra walked slowly aft without
anybody following him. He may have merely desired to look over the side
and examine the injuries inflicted by the shot of the _Portsmouth_, for
that was the first thing he did, without so much as appearing to
recognize any human being in the neighborhood. One of the two persons
who were there, however, drew slowly near him, and, as he did so, he
heard the colonel mutter, in a very low tone:

"My dear friend, you have done well to bring me the powder. Thank you
for your devotion to me and to Santa Anna, but you are in deadly peril.
The orders of Paredes are out against you. General Morales, whom Paredes
trusts, will soon be here to supersede me, but he will really come to
hold this place for our general when he returns from exile. Consider
that I do not know that you are here, for my next in command is a spy on
me. This ship will never put to sea again. The captain and crew will be
cared for, but that g