"I defy him to come and take me at the spot where I shall be within an hour, and where I shall be delighted to welcome you, if you are inclined to pay me a visit."

"And where is this privileged spot, my friend?"

"The Fort of the Point."

"What!" the Colonel said, suddenly stopping and looking him in the face; "Of course you are joking."

"Not the least in the world."

"What! You give me the meeting at the Fort of the Point?"

"Yes."

"Why, that is impossible."

"Why so?"

"Oh, you must be mad, my friend!"

"Remember that the fort has been in my hands for the past twelve hours,"

the Jaguar coldly interrupted him. "I surprised it last night."

"Ah!" the Colonel exclaimed, in stupor.

"Did I not tell you that I had serious news to impart to you?" the young man continued; "Would you like, now, to learn the second item?"

"The second!" the Colonel repeated, utterly astounded; "And what can the second item be? After what I have just heard, I can expect anything."

"The second item is this: the _Libertad_ corvette has been boarded by the privateer brig, with which it and ch.o.r.ed at sunset beneath the guns of the fort."

At this unexpected revelation the Colonel staggered like a drunken man; he turned pale as a corpse, and his limbs were agitated by a convulsive movement.

"Woe, woe!" he exclaimed in a choking voice.

The Jaguar felt moved with pity at the sight of this true and poignant grief.

"Alas! my friend," he said gently, "it is the fortune of war."

"Oh, Galveston, Galveston!" the Colonel said in despair, "that city which the General has sworn never to surrender!"

After a moment's silence, the Colonel mounted his horse.

"Let me go," he said; "I must immediately impart these frightful news to the Governor."

"Go, my friend," the Jaguar answered affectionately; "but, remember, that you will find me at the Fort of the Point."

"We are accursed!" the Colonel cried wildly, and burying his spurs in the sides of his horse, which snorted with pain, he started at full gallop.

"Poor friend!" the Jaguar muttered sadly, as he looked after him, "The news has quite upset him."

After this reflection, the young man mounted and went back to the fort, which he reached about half an hour later.

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE LANDING.

Immediately on reaching his anchorage, Captain Johnson, after conversing for a moment privately with El Alferez, gave orders that Commandant Rodriguez and his officers should be brought into his presence. The Commandant, despite the politeness with which he had been treated, and the kindness the privateer's men had shown him, could not forgive them the way in which they had seized his vessel; he was sad, and had hitherto only answered the questions asked him by disdainful silence, or insulting monosyllables. When the officers of the corvette were a.s.sembled in the cabin, Captain Johnson, turning politely to the Mexicans, said:

"Gentlemen, I am really most sorry for what has occurred. I should be glad to set you at liberty immediately, but your Commandant's formal refusal to pledge himself not to serve against us for a year and a day, obliges me, to my great regret, to keep you prisoners, at least temporarily. However, gentlemen, be a.s.sured that you will be treated as Caballeros, and everything done to alleviate the sorrow this temporary captivity must occasion you."

The officers, and even the Commandant, bowed their thanks, and the Captain continued:

"All your property has been placed in the boat I have ordered to be got ready, to convey you ash.o.r.e. You will, therefore, lose nothing that belongs to you personally; if war has terrible claims, I have tried, as far as lay in my power, to spare you its bitterest conditions. If nothing retains you here, be kind enough to get ready to land."

"Would it be indiscreet, Captain, to ask you whither you have given orders to have us taken?" Commandant Rodriguez asked.

"Not at all, Commandant," the Captain replied; "you are about to be taken to the Port of the Point, whose walls will serve as your prison, until fresh orders."

"What!" the old sailor exclaimed in astonishment; "The Fort of the Point?"

"Yes," the Captain answered with a smile; "the fort which some of my friends seized, while I had the honour of boarding your fine corvette, Commandant."

The Captain could have gone on talking thus for some time: the old officer, confounded by what he had just heard, was incapable of connecting two ideas. At length, he let his head fall wearily on his chest, and making his officers a sign to follow him, went on deck. A boat, with a crew of ten men, was balancing at the starboard accommodation ladder, which the Commandant, still silent, entered, and his staff followed his example.

"Push off!" El Alferez ordered, who was holding the yoke lines.

The boat started and speedily disappeared. For some minutes the cadenced sound of the oars dipping in the water could be heard, and then all became silent again. The Captain had watched the departure of his prisoners; when the boat had disappeared in the gloom, he gave Master Lovel orders to weigh and stand out to sea, and then returned to his cabin, where a man was waiting for him. It was Tranquil, the old Tigrero.

"Well!" the hunter asked.

"They have gone, thank Heaven!" the Captain said, as he sat down.

"Then we are at liberty?"

"Quite."

"When shall we land?"

"This night; but is your information positive?"

"I believe so."

"Well, we shall soon know how matters stand."