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Here Padre Tomás de la Peña planted the cross, erected an enramada, or brush shelter, and on January 12, 1777, said mass, dedicating the new Mission to the Virgin, Santa Clara, one of the early converts of Francis of Assisi. On February 3, 1777, the new governor of Alta California, Felipe de Neve, arrived at Monterey and superseded Rivera.
Suddenly he was confronted by a motionless horseman dimly seen on the embankment ahead of him, and in another minute the comrades were exchanging greetings. "How did you reach Enramada without my knowledge?" asked Ridge, finally. "I have watched every moving creature in the place since noon." "Slipped in, disguised by this horrible Cuban costume, after dark," laughed Navarro.
He suggested as much to his companion, but the latter only smiled, and said: "What matters it, so long as we are safely escorted to Jiguani?" "But I don't want to go there." "True. I had forgotten. You wish to proceed to Enramada, where I am to join you." "Yes, on the second day from now." "With only slight delay we might travel together." "I have reasons for preferring to go alone."
"Shouldn't have come at all but for my promise, and a recollection that I was a prisoner of war on parole, since I learned at Jiguani that Enramada was occupied by the insurgents." "But I have a pass for you from Garcia himself."
"I desire to leave you as soon as we come to the Enramada road, and I wish that you would inform your guerilla friend that I propose to do so." "I will do better; for when we reach the forks, which will be shortly, I will order you to take the one to the left, while we keep to the right, and he will not dare attempt to detain you."
Apparently his companions, who had promised to keep a close watch of the highway, did the same thing, for when he next awoke it was with a start and the consciousness that a horseman was dashing past at full speed on the road to Enramada.
"I propose to go from here to Enramada, to which place I was about to ask you to favor me with a mount and a guide. At that point I have arranged to meet a friend who will give me Spanish protection, and under whose escort I shall visit Santiago. After that I shall be guided by circumstances. But if I live I shall certainly be at Daiquiri in time to meet the American army."
"You will be in danger from the Cubans." "Ask your guerilla captain if he thinks so." The latter said he did not believe there were any insurgents on the Enramada road just then, since their chief, General Garcia, had withdrawn from Bayamo, and was understood to be collecting his entire force near El Cobre, in the Sierra Maestra, or southern coast range. "Very well, then," said Ridge.
Here, as Ridge believed himself to be well in advance of his comrade, he decided to await his coming. At the same time he sent one of his escort into Enramada to discover if Lieutenant Navarro had by any chance reached that place, and to arrange for fresh mounts. Then he threw himself down in the scant shadow of a thorny bush for a nap.
When they in turn were halted they learned that the man whom they had followed so briskly was a Cuban scout just in from a tour of observation. So Ridge rode slowly into Enramada, reported to the officer in command, and remained in that wretched village until nightfall in a state of nervous impatience.
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