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Updated: June 15, 2025
"The news, my son, is this," answered Don Hermoso, his voice quivering with anger: "General Echague, who is in command of the troops which have just encamped in our neighbourhood, has sent a message to me regretfully intimating that it will be his duty to destroy this house, together with all its warehouses and outbuildings of every description, to prevent its seizure by the rebels who are known to be in this neighbourhood.
"I am afraid I am unable to judge the quality of Carlos's English," answered Don Hermoso, "but I beg to assure you, Senor, that your Spanish is excellent; far better, indeed, than that spoken by many of my own countrymen.
Don Hermoso was of course, as might be expected, most indignant at the outrage, and was at first very strongly disposed to make a personal matter of it by lodging a formal complaint with the Capitan-General against Alvaros; but after listening to all that his son and Jack had to say he finally allowed himself to be dissuaded from taking so decisive a step, especially as he fully shared their doubts as to its effectiveness: but he cordially approved of Milsom's suggestion that the affair should be laid before the English Consul, and the final result of the talk was that Jack and Carlos forthwith rode into Pinar del Rio, and from thence took train to Havana, where they arrived rather late in the afternoon, yet still early enough to catch the Consul ere he left his office for the day.
"Your description of the man does not in the least degree suggest any particular individual to me," continued Don Hermoso; "but that, of course, is not surprising, for a man must have a singularly striking personality to allow of his being identified from verbal description only.
"Doubtless," answered Don Hermoso, laughing happily as he too leaned out of the coach to wave a greeting. "Since we did not arrive last night, as arranged, they have naturally expected us to turn up early this morning."
Do you happen to know whether by any chance Don Hermoso has been unfortunate enough to make any enemies among the Government entourage? for I may tell you that the present moment is a particularly favourable one for the gratification of private enmity, if the enemy happens to be connected with the Government." Jack considered for a moment.
On the morrow all these signs of destruction became very greatly accentuated: with the passage of every hour the atmosphere became more thickly charged with smoke, more pungent with the smell of burning; clouds of black ash darkened the sky from time to time, as they were swept along upon the wings of the strong breeze; dense columns of smoke rising here and there showed where the spoilers were at work upon properties so near at hand that they could now be identified and named; while the frequent rattle and crash of rifle fire seemed to indicate that there were others who, like Don Hermoso, were not prepared to stand supinely by and see their entire possessions destroyed.
"If she persists in dogging our heels we shall not have a ghost of a chance of landing our cargo anywhere." "No," said Jack. "But she will not dog our heels, Don Hermoso; don't you trouble. This is where my submarine comes in, and is going to score, if I am not mistaken. Macintyre and I will be able to doctor that torpedo boat so that she will not trouble us.
All these bones are compact and heavy; many of them are stained red, with their surfaces polished; some of the smaller ones are as black as jet. Monte Hermoso is between fifty and sixty miles distant in a S.E. line from the Ventana, with the intermediate country gently rising towards it, and all consisting of the Pampean formation.
Meanwhile, it will manifestly be very advantageous for Don Hermoso to know precisely how affairs stand, and what are the latest developments, before he attempts to return to his home. I will therefore By the way, how long do you anticipate that it will take you to effect the rescue?" "Quite impossible to say," answered Jack.
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