“Sail right in as close up to the wharf as you can get; you can lay your vessel alongside in these calm waters.”
“And if they open fire?”
“They will not dare,” cried the Don, his eyes flashing with excitement. “We must be first, and there will be scarcely any one there.”
“But if they did, sir?”
“If they did, my men would crowd into your boats, we should row ashore and carry the fort and earthworks. We can do that with ease while you come right on to where we will meet you, and help to land the guns. Captain Reed, our young friend’s plans have opened the way to triumph. You will see that all the people in Velova now will declare for me. I shall arm them with the rifles you have brought, strengthen the fort and earthworks, and plant three of the pieces upon the road leading to the mountain-pass by which the enemy are bound to come. Let them attack then if they dare. Do you see? Do you understand?” he added quickly.
“Yes. Excellent. Nothing could be better than your plan, sir; and if Villarayo should not arrive till morning the game would be your own.”
“Would be! Will be,” said the Spaniard fiercely. “What is to prevent it now?”
The skipper glanced round as they stood together aft, and saving the two lads there was no one to overhear his words, as he leaned a little nearer to the excited Spaniard and said, almost in a whisper—
“The gunboat.”
There was a faint click. Don Ramon had closed his teeth sharply, and he turned half round to gaze out to sea. The next minute he turned back with his brow knit and his eyes half-closed.