“Yes,” said the man, “I think that’s about all. It isn’t exactly what he said, because Spanish lingo’s awkward stuff to put into plain English; but that’s about what it all meant; and, speaking as a friend, I should advise you to get a passage up north as soon as you can.”
“Thank you.”
“Shall I say you’re going to sheer off?”
“Tell your leader or officer, sir,” said the General, coldly, “that his message is insulting.”
“Oh, come, now,” said the man, “it was as civil as could be.”
“That we are here in the dominion of his Majesty the King of England, upon our own lands, and that his demand is absurd. I do not wish to be insulting in return for the service he has done us and his own people by giving these savages so severe a lesson, but you may ask him what he would say if I came down with a strong party and ordered him and his people to quit the Spanish settlement.”
“Am I to tell him that?” said the ambassador.
“Yes; and that we are here, and mean to stay, even to holding our homes by force of arms if it is necessary.”
“Oh!” said the man, staring and looking from one to the other. “Isn’t that foolish talk! You see we are very strong, while you are—”
“Not so very weak as you think for, sir.”