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Is he not too much of a veteran in the affairs of the heart? I am to tell the Señorita that her brother is waiting on the gunboat to receive her; she started last night for Zalapata to meet him, and she is impatient over the delay. You must be sure she will hasten to obey the request." Captain Navarro was not wholly free from misgiving.
Major Starland understood the delicate tensity of the relations between Zalapata and Atlamalco. They had been at war before, with the advantage at times on one side and then on the other, the final result being no decisive change in their mutual strength or in their combative propensities. The addition of a "gunboat" to the power of Atlamalco naturally made her more aggressive and demonstrative.
Then he rejoined Captain Guzman and Martella at the front. "We are free of the General for awhile." "But there is no saying for how long," remarked the Captain. "What do you think he means to do?" "I cannot guess, unless it is to keep on to Zalapata and to appeal to General Bambos."
Major Starland had noted that the wind was not favorable, and he was compelled to tack toward the northern shore. He ran close in and was cheered by a freshening of the breeze which added perceptibly to the speed. "At this rate," said his sister, "we shall not reach Zalapata till tomorrow is well advanced." "It cannot matter, for there is no special need of haste."
The young women were saluted by all as they appeared, and the soldiers whom they recognized as their escort of the night before, came forward to learn their wishes. "Carlos, the ponies that brought us here are still with you?" "They are, Señorita." "Have them saddled and brought out; we are to ride to Zalapata today, and wish to make an early start."
Several others with a similar ambition do the same, and there you have the normal republic in this part of the world. Atlamalco, Zalapata and most of your governments are simply world's nuisances." "Your statements, sir, are not only false but insulting; I have more faith in my patriotic countrymen than you, for I know them better; they are brave, unselfish, long suffering "
At the same time, he sent out a reverberating blast from the whistle, which the Atlamalcans might accept as a parting salute. The yacht steamed carefully down the river, and in the early hours of the morning passed Zalapata, where a few lights twinkled, and then proceeded toward the more pretentious town of San Luis.
His words did not seem to be addressed to any one, but were as if he communed with himself: "Five hours after the gunboat went up the river, it passed where we were resting on its way back to Atlamalco. The distance from where we were to Zalapata is eighty miles and to make the trip the boat would need eight or ten hours." "What the mischief are you driving at?
"And his good fortune will be no greater than mine; but, Warrenia, to leave the most winsome of subjects for the most hateful, you will be safer at Zalapata with Major Jack, but neither of you will be secure until you are on the yacht and beyond reach of General Bambos, as well as of General Yozarro. I could almost advise you to wait here, and yet something whispers it will not do."
"You mistake your man!" roared General Bambos; "you fail to see that that would relieve General Yozarro from punishment for his insults and outrages against Zalapata. It would encourage him to continue his infamous course, since our powerful neighbor on the north would relieve him from all penalty.
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