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It was of course only natural that the Prefecture of the Pinar del Rio district should be offered to Don Hermoso Montijo; but when he was made fully acquainted with the views of the provisional Government he declined it, for he considered that these views on certain points were so extreme as to render the Government unpopular, and to bring absolute ruin upon a very important section of the community, the planters to wit.
Thereupon a council of war was held on the yacht's quarter-deck the members consisting of Don Hermoso, Carlos, Jack, and Milsom at which it was ultimately decided that the Thetis should weigh anchor forthwith and run over to Calonna, there to land Don Hermoso, the Senora, Carlos, and Jack, who would then proceed to the hacienda with all speed; while the yacht, under Milsom's command, was to proceed to the Laguna de Cortes, and there remain concealed until it should be seen in what way she could best be employed, after which Milsom was to return by boat to Calonna, and from thence make his way to the hacienda, in order that he might be on the spot to receive such verbal instructions as might be necessary.
Two days later Captain Alvaros again presented himself; but this time, instead of entering the house in his usual free and easy manner, he enquired for Don Hermoso and, upon learning that that gentleman was in his office, sent in a formal request for a private interview.
Naturally enough, the chief topic of conversation at the dinner-table, that night, was the encounter with the gunboat, and the clever manner in which the Spaniards had been "bluffed", Don Hermoso maintaining that it was entirely due to Jack's skill in the gentle art that no suspicion had appeared to enter the heads of the Spaniards that the contraband had already been got rid of.
"To be perfectly candid, Don Hermoso, I feel very strongly inclined to do so," answered Jack. "But before I can possibly give my assent to Carlos's proposal you must permit me to clearly indicate the risks to you involved in it.
Caesar told the Alzugaray family how he lived and caused them to laugh and wonder. He had rented a fairly large upper story in a street in Valle Hermoso, for five dollars. The days he had nothing to do he went there. He put on an old, worn-out fur coat, which was still a protection, a soft hat, took a stick, and went walking in the environs.
At Punta Alta we have good evidence that the gravel- strata, which certainly belong to the true Pampean period, were accumulated after the elevation in that neighbourhood of the main part of the Pampean deposit, whence the rounded masses of tosca-rock were derived, and that rolled fragment of black bone in the same peculiar condition with the remains at Monte Hermoso.
"Why," he exclaimed, "I'll be shot if it isn't the Capitan-General who is coming off to us!" "The Capitan General!" gasped Don Hermoso. "Then, depend on it, gentlemen, your movements were observed last night, and you have been informed upon. What will you do?" "Why," answered Jack, "we will wait until we have heard what these people have to say; and then be guided by circumstances. But pooh!
Then he walked aft to where Don Hermoso and his wife and son were standing listlessly together, exchanging an occasional word or two with each other, but apparently too utterly wretched to take notice of anything, or to engage in continuous conversation. Jack addressed himself to Carlos, in English.
So far, therefore, as the purchase of additional munitions of war is concerned, I believe, Don Hermoso, that you may save your money." "Indeed!" said Don Hermoso. "Then in that case, gentlemen, we may as well defer our departure until we see what is about to happen." And they did. The rest of the story is a matter of well-known history.
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