“Talk so that I can understand you, or I’ll place you under arrest,” he growled. And then he added, “Are you alone?”
“Yes,” said Alano.
“And where are you going?”
"I wish to join my father at Guantanamo. His father is also with mine," and my chum pointed to me.
“Your name?”
Seeing there was no help for it, Alano told him. Captain Crabo did not act as if he had heard it before, and we breathed easier. But the next moment our hearts sank again.
“Well, we will search you, and if you carry no messages and are not armed, you can go on.”
“We have no messages,” said Alano. “You can search us and welcome.”
He handed over his valise, and I followed suit. Our pistols we had placed in the inner pockets of our coats. By his easy manner my chum tried to throw the Spaniards off their guard, but the trick did not work. After going through our bags, and confiscating several of my silk handkerchiefs, they began to search our clothing, even compelling us to remove our boots, and the weapons were speedily brought to light.
“Ha! armed!” cried Captain Crabo. “They are not so innocent as they seem. We will look into their history a little closer ere we let them go. Take them to the smoke-house until I have time to make an investigation to-night. We must be off for Pueblo del Cristo now.”