“On with you!” exclaimed General Matajente, digging spurs into his horse. “Ah! What’s that?” and he pointed to a dense mass ahead of them, ahead even of the girls and their escorts, a mass that was coming forward swiftly. “Cavalry! The commandante of Santa Rosa fort! He said that he would follow.”
It was indeed a squadron, and the ranks opened to let the fugitives pass through, then re-formed with General Matajente at the head. The bandits, not seeing the increased force because of a turn in the road, came on wildly, and were met by a withering volley from carbines. There was a short, sharp struggle, and in five minutes twenty men lay dead or wounded on the ground, and a score more had been made prisoners.
Then all rode back to Callao, Rosita still on Nigger, close by her father’s side, while Bella Caceras, on Tom, had Louis and Harvey as escorts.
CHAPTER XXI.
OLD GLORY IN THE BAY.
“The star-spangled banner,
O long may it wave!
O’er the land of the free
And the home of the brave.”
General Matajente and Señor Cisneros acted as hosts one afternoon, a week after the stirring events related in the last two chapters, and entertained as guests at luncheon those who were about to undertake the overland journey north. The tables were set in the grand salle of the big hotel on the tip of La Punta.
The truce agreed upon by the commanders of the land and sea forces would end with the going down of the sun on the morrow, and it was expected that warlike operations would be renewed with vigor. This meant active work for the general, and as his friends would leave for the States within twenty-four hours, he had suggested this means of bidding farewell.