“I should say not! I’ve got a first-class man for us, too. He’ll stick at nothing to get money. You see, he needs it badly.”
“Better and better,” said Charbonde, rubbing his hands. “I see you have ability.”
“You bet I have,” rejoined Hank modestly. “All I need is a chance to bring it out.”
“Well, that you shall soon have, depend upon it. When we are in power in Costaveza and my cousin, Truxillo de Guzman is dictator, we shall receive our reward.”
While this interesting conversation had been going forward in the launch—the talkers taking good care to keep themselves out of sight under the small roof at the stern of the craft—the boys and Stanley, greatly excited at their discovery, had returned to the boat, impatiently to await the return of Lieutenant Timmons. It had been agreed that it was high time to acquaint him with what they had found out.
There was not a question in their minds but that the arms were intended for the revolutionists, and that some dishonest custom-house official had been bribed to let them into the country.
The officers returned before long, and Ned noticed that Lieutenant Timmons’ brow was clouded, and he looked troubled. He had good reason to. The consul had informed him that the revolutionists had attacked and burned property in the hills back of the town, and in an engagement to the north had routed the government troops. Their next move, he was sure, would be to concentrate and march on the city itself. Already their advance guard was in the hills, only repelled from making an immediate attack by the present strength of the government troops quartered in the city and its environs.
The news from the north had, for the time being, been kept a secret for fear of its moral effect on the citizens and the so far loyal army. It had had a distinctly disheartening effect on the government and on the American interests, however. Lieutenant Timmons had been ordered by the department in Washington to use “extreme discretion.”
“Hum, discretion! I’d like to use a few six-inch shells,” thought the young officer.