"Yes, General, and quite fresh."
"All the better: where is he?"
"Four leagues from here."
"Good, we shall soon be there then. Which corps is it?"
"That of General don González Ortega."
"Bravo," the President said joyously, "you are a precious lad: here is something for you."
He placed several pieces of gold in his hand, "Give me the details," he continued.
"General Ortega is at the head of eleven thousand men, of whom three thousand are cavalry, and thirty-five guns."
"Have you seen them?"
"I marched with them for more than an hour."