The latter made straight for Clif with an upraised dagger, and would have killed the cadet then and there if the commander of the troop had not prevented him forcibly.
"You fool!" he said, "don't you know the orders?"
"What orders?"
"From Blanco. Prisoners are to be brought to Havana. If you want to kill him, wait till you get him there."
And so the furious Ignacio was compelled to leave his enemy alone. He now rode along behind the troopers, muttering curses under his breath.
But he knew that his time would come later; moreover he had not so very long to wait, for the capture had been made quite near to Havana.
The country through which they were riding was broad and flat, rising gradually to the blue hills at the southward. All about them it seemed as if the land had once been under cultivation; but now it was overgrown with rank vegetation.
In the distance could be seen the buildings of a little town, for which they were heading.
The Spanish cavalrymen rode along merrily, their accoutrements jingling. They were a dark-skinned, black-haired lot, and most of them were small, and not very sturdily built. The Americans had heard it said that they didn't get enough to eat, and they looked it.
The prisoners were mounted upon spare horses, and were kept well in the middle of the group. Their hands were tied behind them, and one of their captors had hold of the bridles of their mounts.