"I'm much interested. I presume you were in this boat when the bombardment was going on this morning."
"Nope. Only met her a while back. Cap', you couldn't guess where I was this mornin'."
"Well," laughing, "as you would say, I reckon not."
Brown wagged his head once more, placed his back squarely against the horse, and announced impressively: "Cap'n Farquharson, this mornin' I was on the flagship of Admyral Fairbanks."
The Captain dropped the bridle-rein in his astonishment. The horse sidled away suddenly, and Brown nearly lost his equilibrium.
"Admiral Fairbanks's flagship!" incredulously. "Why, I thought you had taken service with Mendoza."
Brown recovered balance.
"Yes, Mr. Mendoza has hired me to work for him at Mission San José, and I was on Admyral Fairbanks's ship this mornin'."
"How in the name of common sense, man, can you reconcile the two things?"
"Well, Cap', let me say, there's some things I won't speak of, seein' they're political and we're on different sides."