“Señor the Major may have been right when he said my desertion would not be known for several days, but he mistook when he thought I had made no mention of it. I told Valentin Herrera, the engineer of the gunboat, before I left; I asked him to tell General Yozarro with word from me that if I ever gained a chance I should kill him just as surely as he killed my brother. The engineer promised to bear the message to General Yozarro and I doubt not that it will be repeated to him before the sun sets.”
“Martella, you’re a fool!”
“Perhaps,” replied the native with a grin and shrug; “but Señor the Major does not reflect that General Yozarro would have me shot for leaving the boat without his permission. He can do no more with me than that,—why should I rob myself of the pleasure of sending him an insulting message?”
“In other words, you might as well be in for a sheep as a lamb. Very well; have you any plan to offer?”
“I will go to Captain Navarro of the guard and tell him I come as a messenger from General Yozarro, who is waiting with the gunboat to take the Señoritas to Atlamalco, and he must not delay in obeying the command.”
The American looked at him in amazement.
“Have you the nerve for that, Martella?”
“I await only your permission.”
“I cannot permit you to run such risk; better that I should go myself and make the demand upon Captain Navarro.”
“The captain has been warned not to permit any such thing, on his life. You know that though General Yozarro may be aware I have left his service, it is not likely to be known to Captain Navarro.”