“Indeed?”
“Yes; that’s it. I’m settled among them, and they’re not bad sort of people, let me tell you. I just say this by way of advice to all of you, who seem to be in a tidy pickle.”
“Were you instructed to say this, sir?” said the General, coldly.
“Well, no, not exactly; only having once been an Englishman, and meeting Englishmen, I wanted to do you a good turn if I could.”
“Thank you. Now your message.”
“Oh, that’s short enough. The Don here says I’m to tell you that he is glad he arrived in time to save your lives, all of you, for if he hadn’t come you’d all have been massacred.”
“Go on,” said the General.
“And that he supposes you see now what a mad trick it was to come and settle down here among the Indians. Let me see; what was next?” muttered the man; and he turned sharp round, and spoke to the Spanish leader for a minute or so, and then came back and went on—
“That he came once before and gave you fair warning that you were trespassing on the lands of his Majesty the King of Spain, and that he wants to know how soon you are going.”
“Is that all?”