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Whenever a wealthy Mexican hereabouts has had an enemy that he wanted 'removed, he has always been able to accomplish his wish with the aid of this same fellow, Cosetta." "Cosetta is in town to-day," Dave remarked. "Are you sure of that?" "I saw him here," Darrin replied, quietly. "Then you must have been the officer in command of last night's landing party."
Doesn't it now seem likely that Cantor stole the plans, and turned them over to Cosetta, who would be delighted at the chance of being able to turn them over to the commander of the Mexican forces around Vera Cruz?" "The suspicion seems plausible enough," Trent admitted, sadly, "yet it is a terrible thing to believe."
Until his rifle barrel was too hot to hold in his hands, John Carmody shot rapidly, yet coolly putting into his work all the pent-up indignation that he had felt for days against Cosetta and his men. "Stop the gun!" ordered Dave Darrin, resting a hand on the shoulder of the marine corporal. "Don't waste its fire." The launch was now free of the shore, and moving down the lagoon at half speed.
And I would suggest, sir," Darrin added, "that Mr. Carmody, who knows more of Cosetta than any of us, will be able to give you an excellent opinion of whether I was obliged to throw my command into the fight." "How much of your ammunition did you bring back?" asked Captain Gales, his face betraying nothing of his inward opinion. "All the Colt ammunition was used, sir." "And the rifle ammunition?"
"What was it, sir, that you did to provoke Cosetta into ordering his fellows to fire?" questioned Captain Gales. "Why, sir, I found and rescued the Americans after whom you sent me," Dave explained. "They were Cosetta's prisoners. There was not a shot fired on either side until after I had placed the released prisoners under the protection of my own men, and had started away with them.
"I got him, sir!" cried the exultant voice of Riley. "But I'll make sure of him, sir!" Crack! The Navy rifle spoke once more. Noiselessly Darrin darted across the street. On the roof of the house in which Dave had seen the bandit, Cosetta, the previous day, lay a man, his head and shoulders hanging over the edge. "Speak softly," cautioned Darrin.
Though he might hang for his disobedience of orders, he would not tamely submit to seeing his men shot down ruthlessly. Still less would he permit American women and children to be endangered. Orders, or no orders "Ready, men!" he shouted, above the sharp reports of the Cosetta rifle fire. "Aim low at the hedge! Fire at will!" Cr-r-r-rack! rang out the American Navy rifles.
"You won't observe that arrest, Darrin," spoke Trent, coldly. "I'll be responsible for my order to that effect. Now, then, Cantor, what explanation have you to offer for being in the house of Cosetta, the bandit?"
Scanning the house, from the roof of which the firing had proceeded, his drawn revolver in his hand, Dave made a quick discovery. "Why, this is the very door from which I saw Cosetta peering out yesterday!" thought the young ensign. "I wonder if this is his home in Vera Cruz. I'll make a point of reporting this to Trent as soon as we return."
"Cosetta, it appears, believed that he could force Carmody to pay a large indemnity, in money, for the release of himself and family and their woman friends. First of all, the Americans were taken to a house near a deserted sugar mill, somewhere on the coast opposite us. This sugar mill stands on a lagoon, and that is as much of a description as Carmody could furnish in his hastily penned letter.
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