"I doubt it. Two hundred men may land under cover of our fire; but, believe me, Rafael, fifty will not break through that living barrier and enter the town."
"I grant that. As I said last night, it is a useless waste of life, and his Excellency must have surely forgotten the situation of Janjalla when he gave such a rash command. But what else can be done, save obey his order?"
"Obey it, by all means, but not in the way commanded."
"What do you mean?"
Jack was sweeping the shore right and left with the telescope, and did not reply for a few minutes. At length he spoke, indicating the several points he mentioned, with his hand.
"Behold, mi amigo," he said, pointing towards the desert, "to land there would be foolish, as the enemy could march along to defend that point while the boats pulled in. The same with the central position. It is madness to land in the teeth of two thousand men. But look to the right. Why not land the troops up the coast, and let the swamp lie between them and the enemy?"
"Bueno!" replied Rafael, seizing the idea at once. "But how do you propose to enter the city?"
"Ah, that I can't say, not knowing the geography of the place."
"I have a map below. Come with me, Juan, and we will invent some plan, then go on board The Iturbide to interview Pedraza. I am with you in trying to prevent this sacrifice of two hundred men by landing them in the jaws of danger."
They went down to the cabin, and Rafael, after hunting about for a few minutes, found a map of the southern portion of Cholacaca. He spread it out on the table, and they began to examine it at once.