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One was, that the settlement was surrounded by "los barbaros," headed by Carlos the cibolero; that they must be in great numbers, since they had made an open attack upon the military stronghold itself; but that they had been beaten off by the valiant soldiers after a desperate conflict, in which many were killed on both sides; that the officers were all killed, including the Comandante; and that another attack might be looked for that night, which would most likely be directed against the town!
He made some feeble opposition, notwithstanding; but Carlos hastily replied that he had something to say to the Comandante, who had beckoned him up to the azotea. This but half satisfied the fellow, who, however, reluctantly allowed him to pass. Once inside, Carlos sprang to the steps, and glided up with the stealthy silent tread of a cat.
The Comandante had gambled enough for that day; and but for a little peculation which he enjoyed upon the mining "derechos," and other little customs dues, he would have felt his losses still more severely. Out of the derechos, however, he knew he could square himself at the expense of the vice-regal government.
Up and down the coast roamed these wild sea hunters, even collecting their furry game in San Francisco Bay and defying the comandante of the presidio, who had no boats with which to pursue them, and so could do nothing but fume and write letters of remonstrance to the governor of Fort Ross.
I approached another stern boy armed like a first-class cruiser in war time and he motioned upward with his gun barrel. The dwelling of the comandante faced the patio on the second-story corridor. His son, aged five, met me with the information: "Papa 'sta dormido."
The Spanish officers being the hosts were, of course, least talkative, though the Comandante vain as any young sub who wore his epaulettes for the first time could not refrain from alluding occasionally to his terrible list of bonnes fortunes among the fair Sevillanas. He had long been stationed at the city of oranges, and "la gracia Andalusiana" was ever his theme of admiration.
"She was always a little dearer to me than his second wife, the proud Dona Maria Ortega, perhaps because Rafaela belonged pre-eminently to San Francisco. Her father, Ensign Sal, was acting comandante of the Presidio when Vancouver visited the Coast, and Rafaela and Luis Argüello grew up together in the little adobe settlement." "Go on," said the skeptic, leaning comfortably against a tree trunk.
Now I know that I have a plan nothing easier than to get her off. She shall go back and tell if she can tell anything that she has been in the hands of the Indians! That will satisfy you?" "But how can it be arranged?" "My dear Comandante, no difficulty in it. Listen!
"No thanks no thanks: an officer of his Catholic Majesty wants no thanks for doing his duty." As the Comandante said this, he waved his hand with proud dignity, and seemed about to retire backward. Carlos interrupted his intention by putting a question: "Am I to have the honour of acting as guide to your excellency?"
Some believed that the cibolero had come with the bona fide desire to obtain help against the Indians that those who accompanied him were only a few Tagnos whom he had collected to aid in the pursuit and that the Comandante, having first promised to aid him, had afterwards refused, and that this had led to the strange conduct of the cibolero!