“‘And please, when you roast this man, put in plenty of salt.’
“‘We will,’ said Smith, and ‘We will,’ shouted his men.
“Then they brought a horse and lifted the girl on to the saddle. As she leaned over to kiss the soldier good-by, she whispered something in his ear that no one else could hear, but Smith didn’t bother because he thought it was just a good-by. It wasn’t, though, as you soon shall hear.
“Down the road the girl went at a gallop, as fast as her horse could carry her. All afternoon she rode and just before sunset came into the soldier’s camp. Up to the General’s tent she cantered and then stood before him, all breathless. She told him everything that had happened and begged him to take his men and save the soldier, and the salesman, too, if he wished, although she didn’t mind so much about him. The General scratched his white beard and said:
“‘Why should I do this?’
“‘Oh, Sir,’ she said, ‘the soldier is your son.’
“‘Murder and Death,’ roared the General. ‘I’ll have their heads; the villains!’
“He ordered out a whole company of cavalry, and jumped on his own horse and down the road they went, led by the golden-haired girl. They rode all night as fast as the wind, and came in sight of the land pirates’ camp just before sunrise.
“‘We must go slowly,’ said the General. In a loud whisper he ordered his men off their horses and then, with guns in hand, they crept into the camp on their hands and knees. The first thing they heard was the soldier prisoner snoring. He was making such a noise that the golden-haired girl thought he would wake the pirates, so she crept up and put her fingers over his lips. He dreamed someone was trying to poison him and bit, just as hard as he could. Of course the girl screamed, and out came the whole company of pirates. Then, how they fought! You never heard such a racket in your life; there was screaming and shouting and firing of guns and blood all about, and over all you could hear Blue Murder Smith cussing:
“‘Crullers and Doughnuts.’