"A letter, you say; and when did you send it?"
"This morning early."
"Ah!" said Wilhelm, "I have it."
And he told Diego how—as Leon had gone out when the letter arrived at Crevel's—the latter asked him to deliver it to the captain, and that when he received it, he put it in his pocket without reading, absorbed as he was in his conversation with General Soto-Mayor.
"What! is the general at Valparaíso?" Diego asked, interrupting the smuggler.
"Yes, lieutenant; but he will not be so for long."
"Why not?"
"Because the governor had just given him command of the new body of volunteers, who are going to reinforce the Chilian army at Santiago."
"That is well."
Tahi-Mari whistled in a peculiar way, and an Indian appeared. The chief of the Molucho army said a few words to him in a low voice. The Indian bowed as a sign of obedience, and, gliding through the herbage, disappeared. Wilhelm looked on at the scene, whistling to give himself a careless air. When the Indian had gone, Tahi-Mari turned to him, and laid his hand on his shoulder.