"And then the war broke out?"
"As I told you; Don Hypolito, with his war-ship, is now besieging Janjalla. Tim, Garibay, General Gigedo, and half the army, are there defending it. Tim wanted to remain and search for you; but I insisted on his going, and told him I would take The Bohemian up to Acauhtzin, under the Union Jack, to make inquiries."
"It was lucky you did that," said Jack, with a grim smile, "or those Indians would have killed or recaptured us for sure."
"We did not know it was you," interposed Peter, who had been listening,—they were conversing in English. "I saw you first, and thought it was only a canoe of Indians being chased by others. Philip thought he would help the supposed Indians, and fired those guns."
"Peter nearly fainted when we saw who the Indians were," laughed Philip, slipping his arm within that of Jack's. "However, 'all's well that ends well;' and here you are, safe and sound with Dolores."
"And with the opal!"
"Good! I never thought you would have got that stone, Jack. Your luck holds, old fellow. The possession of the opal will give confidence to Tlatonac. Will it not, Rafael?"
"What say you, Señor Felipe?"
"The opal! Its possession will inspire confidence."
"Of a certainty, mi amigo. Our men will fight like devils, now they know the fortune of the Chalchuih Tlatonac is on the side of the Junta. In the same way, Don Hypolito's soldiers will lose heart."