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"It can do no harm to mention that name since you can never repeat it to anyone but me, for Señor Draney's decree is that, when you go forth from here to-night you will know nothing afterwards, for you will be past knowing." "You are talking like a madman," sneered Hal. "And next you will be begging like one," returned Tomba, with that same easy but deadly laugh.
"In the first place, you wouldn't find Draney in an hour, for probably he has hidden himself. Even if you found him sitting on his back porch he'd be prepared to swear that some native had sent up the kite without his knowledge or permission. Sergeant, a fellow of Draney's type is always hard to catch, and it's bad judgment to try to catch him until you have evidence enough to hang him.
Though Hal did not know it, from the window of one room in a house that he passed a pair of unusually bright, keen eyes glared out at him. "That is he, the sergente, Overton," growled Vicente Tomba to himself. "Since we have Señor Draney's orders that the sergente is to leave this life as soon as possible, why not to-day? He is going to Bantoc, where it will be easy to snare him.
"It's the easiest way in the world of sending the news to the brown fiends swarming around Seaforth's that a military column has passed Draney's place." "I could take a few men, sir, go back and arrest Draney and bring him to you," suggested Hal quietly. "What would be the use?" demanded the young officer, a scowl of disgust settling on his face.
Personally, I haven't a doubt that Draney is behind all the trouble of which we're hearing rumors." "What can be Draney's object?" asked Captain Freeman. "Perhaps he hasn't really a sane object," responded Cortland.
The following morning Captain Freeman marched his column back over the many miles that lay between them and Bantoc. On a later morning of the march the dusty column passed Draney's plantation. That adventurer boldly hailed the officers as the troops marched by. "I hear you've killed the datto," was the planter's greeting. "Yes," responded Captain Freeman dryly.
The Army boy retold the entire story, leaving out nothing not even, the reader may be sure, what Vicente Tomba had said to Hal about Draney's connection with the natives. "Ray, you're officer of the day," broke in the post commander suddenly. "Go out to Corporal Hyman and see that he turns Tomba and Cerverra over at the guard house.
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