"I love California too much to see her tossed precipitously into any hands, be it English or American."
The Irishman stormed back and forth over the floor.
Mendoza continued: "I have a plan, but the carrying it out would delay for some time your journey across the mountains."
"Carson awaits my coming, if I delay a month. What is your plan?"
"To find just where the American fleet is; catch the attention of your commodore; then call him for consultation with some of us here who have not been swept off our feet by the clever Señora Valentino."
"Three days ago the fleet stood into the scimitar-shaped bay west of here, Commodore Billings in command. He had sighted the British fleet off Callao, Peru, and scudded ahead of them."
"Bueno! Bueno!"
"I'll get in touch with Billings as soon as I can."
"Let him run his ships till he can anchor off some spot nearest San José Mission."
"The sooner I see the Commodore the better. Will you send a messenger to my camp telling my braves to wait there till further orders?"