"Well," cried one gay young soldier but little older than John himself, "you may thank your lucky stars that you're 'most as black as a nigger, and can patter Spanish like a regular Don. The Mexicans will take you for one of themselves. If they do, and you get a chance at old Wooden-leg, make him believe we're ten thousand strong. It's all right to lie till you're black in the face to fool an enemy and serve your country." John Sibley nodded and smiled, as the troop filed through the office door with many wishes for his ultimate safety. He stood looking after them with a queer twinkle in his black eyes, saying to himself: "I'll do the best I can, as you do, brave boys, but I'll lie as little as I can help. Wonder if I couldn't make the truth do as well?" One day passed, and then another. The Texans had left the town, and continued their retreat towards the east. Still, there was no word from the editor and proprietor of the _Weekly Telegraph_ releasing his young assistant from his perilous position, and John staid steadily on, caring faithfully for the property intrusted to him. He was "on guard," and had no more thought of deserting his post than if he had been a soldier under orders. He passed the anxious time watching and waiting for two events--wondering which of the two would come first--news that he was relieved from duty, and the approach of the Mexican army. The latter came first. Early one morning the vanguard appeared, soon followed by the main body, led by President Santa Anna in person. Before noon dark-skinned soldiers were swarming over the town on the lookout for plunder and mischief, and a crowd of them filled the office of the obnoxious _Telegraph_. They were surprised to find there a lad as dark-skinned as themselves, who in a resistless flood of Spanish welcomed them like brothers, assuring them in the most high-flown terms of Spanish courtesy that the office and all it contained was theirs, and would be honored by suffering destruction at their hands. But in the midst of this rodomontade he continued by many adroit and well-turned phrases and an assumption of genial camaraderie to induce his troublesome visitors to postpone their destructive designs until he had laid the case before General Santa Anna, to whom he wished to be taken immediately. This request was granted without any difficulty, for without a word of assertion on his part they had at once adopted him as one of their own race. Who else in that country but a Spanish-American could boast such smooth and courteous manners, such densely black eyes and hair, such a copper-colored skin, and such a flood of Spanish!