“Because,” replied Captain Ortega with a sneer, “he feared you might have learned the truth, and reloaded the gun. I had no way of telling him different.”
“Why did you not tell me?”
Looking straight in the eyes of the American, the Captain said:
“I am an Atlamalcan!”
“And the best of the lot! But, Captain, did you not fear I would carry out my threat of shooting you when you ran the boat aground?”
“I expected you to try to do so, but I, too, should have done some shooting also.”
“You told me you were unarmed.”
“And when I said I had no weapon on me, it was the truth, but I did not tell you that I did not know where to lay hand on a revolver whenever it should become necessary.”
“I respect your frankness; I can suspect your plan, but may I not hear it from your own lips?”