“Is it quite safe to bring Miss Ruey ashore, John?”
“'Tis safe enough at the Hotel Mateo. We have the city for half a mile beyant, in the rear av them—an' they're not fightin' to get to the bay. The Guards an' some av the Fifteenth Infanthry regimint are in the palace an' the cuartel close by, an' thim that we failed to get in the arsenal have j'ined thim. But the bulk av the Sarros army is thryin' to break t'rough to the south an' west, to get to the hills. D'ye mind the spur thrack that runs in a semi-cirrcle around the city? Well, thin, the rebels are behint the embankmint, takin' it aisy. Have no worry, sor. Whin we've took the palace we'll move on an' dhrive the vagàbones from behint up to that railroad embankmint, where Gineral Ruey can bid them the time av day.”
Webster turned to Dolores. “Do you wish to go ashore?”
She nodded, her flashing eyes bent in admiration upon the gory, grimy Don Juan Cafetéro, for she was half Irish, and in that amazing meeting she knew the outcast for one of her blood. “I think my brother will sleep in his father's old room to-night,” she murmured softly. “And I would sleep in mine.”
They followed Don Juan down the gangway to the launch and sped back to the city. The door of Leber's warehouse stood wide open; within was a litter of greasy rags and broken packing cases, with Leber, quite mystified, sitting on a keg of nails and staring curiously at it all.
Guided by Don Juan Cafetéro, Webster and Dolores passed on up the Calle San Rosario. Occasionally a bullet, fired two or three miles to the west, droned lazily overhead or dropped with a sharp metallic sound on the corrugated-iron roofs of a building. At the hotel the proprietor alone was in evidence, seated behind the desk smoking in profound indifference.
In response to Webster's eager inquiries for the latest news from the front, the placid fellow shrugged and murmured: “Quien sabe?” Evidently for him such stirring scenes had long since lost their novelty; the bloom was off the peach, as it were.
Webster went upstairs and helped himself to another automatic and several spare clips of shells which he had left in his trunk. On his return to the lobby, Dolores saw what a very near sighted person, indeed, would have seen—to wit: that he was not pleased to remain in the hotel and with the spirit of adventure strong within him was desirous of progressing still farther toward the firing, in the hope of eliciting some favourable news as to the progress of the fight. She realized, however, that he would do his duty and remain with her in the hotel; so she said gaily:
“Suppose we walk out a little farther, Caliph. Many of the side streets will be as safe and peaceful as one could desire, and if warfare should develop in our vicinity we can step into some house.”
“I do not like to have you run the slightest risk——” he began, but she pooh-poohed him into silence, took him by the arm with a great air of camaraderie, and declared they should go forth to adventure—but cautiously.