"Fifty, señor," and the frightened wretch and his companion seemed about to collapse.
"That is all now," declared the young sergeant. "Secure them, men, at once."
Nothing loath, his companions began to carry out his order, Jack assisting Riva Baez in binding the spokesman of the twain. While they were doing this, the former heard the sound of paper crumpled in the prisoner's pocket. Thrusting his hand into the receptacle, he quickly drew forth two soiled and wrinkled missives.
"What have we here?" he asked. "As I live, here is a dispatch for Colonel Marchand from General Castro," handing, as he spoke, the paper to Ronie. Then, his eye falling upon the well-known envelope and stamp of his own country, he exclaimed:
"A letter for you, Ronie; and from New York!"
If honest Jack Greenland had unconsciously committed a breach of good respect in thus addressing a superior, Ronie did not heed it, while he took the crumpled missive handed him, his own hand trembling and a mist coming over his eyes at this unexpected communication from his native land. This mist deepened and his hand shook more violently, as he murmured, after glancing at its superscription:
"It is from mother, Jack!"
It was fortunate for the reputation of our hero that his companions were attentive to their duty, or the prisoners might have eluded their captors. But he was certainly excusable for his temporary lack of discretion. The finding of this letter from his mother, under the circumstances and condition of affairs, was enough to rob him of his usual presence of mind. While the others completed their tasks, he examined the missive, to find that it had already been opened. With blurred sight, he ran hastily over its closely-written page, saying, when he finished:
"It is as I expected. Mother was to leave New York soon after writing this, to meet me in Caracas. This was directed in the care of Colonel Marchand, and has been forwarded through the courtesy of General Castro to the colonel. She is here in this country, and in trouble, as I have feared."
"Let us hope it is nothing serious," said Jack. "At least, we can only hope for the best until we are able to learn more and do more. Has the dispatch to Colonel Marchand been opened?"