“Tell him that the captain has come back, and that the rest will probably be here by the morning, or to-morrow afternoon. Say that the wagons will have thousands of dollars in, but that they will all be well guarded, and he had better let them alone; but I think he can rake the ranche if he comes.”
“All right.”
“Can you remember all?”
“Oh, yes,” said Pedro, his bright eyes sparkling with confidence. “Oh, wouldn’t I like to lead him here. He saved my life, and I’d die for Harry.”
“Then away,” said Jack, and with a hop, skip and a jump the boy was out of the stable, and in a moment was lost to view in the woods.
“Now there’ll be fun,” quoth Jack.
When the horseman entered the house, he was met by an old woman, who bowed to him in the most obsequious manner.
“Glad to see you, cap,” said this hag, who was as wrinkled, bent, ugly and repulsive as any witch. “Have some dinner?”
“Yes,” said the captain. “Dish me up the best you’ve got, with a bottle of wine and a box of cigars.”
This being a good chance to tell the reader who and what this captain was, and what he looked like, the author will avail himself of the opportunity to describe him.