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No one could have been more generous than the Dictator in the way of imprecations, which was no cause for surprise to Miss Starland. Until the purchase of the tugboat, General Yozarro had usually passed between his capital and the Castle of Rest on horseback. Now, however, he preferred the water route, although it compelled him to walk a difficult mile.
"General Yozarro has not a braver or more honorable officer in his army. Three years ago, when we were at war with Atlamalco, and neither republic owned a fleet, we had a fight with three hundred Atlamalcans in the mountains. Each force was about the same and it was one of the hottest fights I ever saw, for the respective forces were commanded by Generals Bambos and Yozarro."
"And all are heavily armed, some with pistols and some with swords; if they should come alongside, they could give us a pretty fight." Captain Guzman took it upon himself to say: "General Yozarro and Captain Sepulveda if he is there are the biggest cowards in the Atlamalcan army, but the others are fighters. I know three of them who are worse than tiger cats.
"That depends upon its size; if it isn't more than a few hundred dollars I am quite ready to give you a lift." "I must decline to permit any more quibbling." "Will you consent that I shall close the incident by paying this claim against President Yozarro of the Republic of Atlamalco?" "I do if you will agree to enforce the other conditions." "What are they?"
The return ride was trying to the last degree. General Yozarro seemed to have forgotten his promise to his niece, and tortured her friend with attentions which filled her with resentment. When he assisted her to dismount, he pressed her hand for an instant until the rings on her fingers dented the flesh and almost caused her to cry out with pain.
Returning from this digression, the small boat was kept under careful survey until it returned from the General Yozarro. Some feared that a musket shot might be fired at the seamen, for the Atlamalcan is hot-headed and reckless, and the fully loaded saluting gun was kept pointed. "If I have to fire again," grimly said the mate, "I shall send the ball through her boiler, and sink the whole gang."
But the flurry that had startled him was not caused by the arrival of General Yozarro. It was due to the natural curiosity over the departure of one of the young women, which had become known, when the saddled pony was brought to the front of the Castle where Captain Navarro was waiting, with one of his soldiers holding the bridle.
"There can be no doubt of that," replied the impulsive Atlamalcan, throwing her arms around her friend and affectionately kissing her. "Be assured I shall never urge you to do anything contrary to your own pure nature. More than that, I shall take the first opportunity to impress upon General Yozarro the hopelessness of any love he may feel toward you."
Gradually the boat grew hazy and indistinct, but the throbbing of the engine and the soft wash of the current lingered long after the craft itself had faded from view. "It may be that President Yozarro is afraid President Bambos will forget he has a navy," suggested the American. "He does not mean to attack him, I am sure."
He is devoted to General Yozarro, or at least holds him in fear; the moment he gained a chance to strike a blow for him he would strike hard, no matter at what risk to himself." "He carries no arms; he has no chance." "He may know where he can lay hand on a weapon; if he attacked us behind, while we were repelling boarders as I am sure he would the jig would be up.
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