Having so often spoken in vain, I was determined that the civic dignities should speak first. I therefore quietly took out a cigar. Quick as lightning, my friend the Capataz whipped out his smoking gear, and went to work with flint, steel, and junk. At the first click, my three polite entertainers almost jumped from their stools. The twinkle of the jolly old Spaniard’s eye, as he handed me a light, was worth a dollar any day. The four dragoons, much to their credit, maintained the most perfect gravity throughout. I lit, and blew a cloud. The panic of the three writers increased. They were evidently telegraphing. At length the chief turned round on his seat, and, with alarm and courtesy comically mingled in his visage, begged to be informed in what way he could be of service to me. “I interrupt you, Monsieur. Pray, finish the business you have in hand.” “Monsieur, I have no business so cherished as to expedite yours.” I then told my object—that there had been in the place a suspicious _sujet_, whom I described. Should he again make his appearance, he must be apprehended _tout-de-suite_, and kept in safe custody, till he was surrendered to the normal authorities. “Messieurs, has he presented himself here?” Three voices answered simultaneously—“Yes”—“No”—“Yes.” “Do you know anything of him?” “He is an Englishman—a courier from Madrid.”—“He bears despatches to the British headquarters.”—“Nothing whatever.” “He is neither an Englishman nor a courier; consequently, he must be provided with a passport. Has he presented it HERE?” “Viewing him as attached to the British service, we did not consider it our affair.” “Where is he now?” “He is not here.”—“He didn’t state his intended route.”—“He has left this place.” “By what route?” “We don’t know.”—“He went, within the last hour, towards St Sever.” “Is that an ascertained fact?” “Yes, Monsieur, yes,” they all answered; “he is gone in the direction of St Sever.” “If, Messieurs, what you have now stated should prove correct, and if I find that you have told me all you know, I trust I shall not feel it necessary to report the matter to our commander-in-chief.” These gentlemen, I felt, could have told me more, had they chosen; and I, with time at my command, could have extracted more. But in our case it was touch and go. We could not, with such a charge, stop to pursue investigations. So I took my leave, deeming it, at any rate, something to have ascertained that friend Hookey, in accordance with my anticipations, though not in accordance with his own statements, had preceded us by the route which we were so soon to follow.