Senorita Georgia had great faith in the individual prowess of her betrothed, whom she had seen come out victor in other affairs, yet Jerome was no stripling, and besides, assistance for him might arrive at any moment--so she stood behind the barricade of steamer chairs and fervently besought the Virgin to favor the cause of the brave man she loved. CHAPTER XIV. A CHASE TO THE YACHT. Possibly Jerome Wellington had made a study of the tactics employed so successfully by the great and famous general whose name he bore with so little lustre. At any rate he believed in a quick and masterly attack, whereby the enemy might be demoralized, providing said enemy chanced to be inferior to him in power or endurance. Roderic did not deceive himself with any false hope that the game was not worth the candle, nor that his opponent intended only a gigantic bluff. He had prepared for business, and meant to be in the game from start to finish. Besides, deep down in his heart he realized that the handsome Adonis had been playing his cards with the idea of centering the affections of the charming Georgia upon himself, and this alone was a positive crime in the eyes of the man who lived only to win her for his own. That rampant spark of jealousy has much to account for in this world--kingdoms have fallen, principalities been sacked, and countless homes been broken up because of it; while on the other hand it has urged men to great and noble deeds in order to win in the game of hearts. Roderic, therefore, rather enjoyed the prospect of a little bout with this dashing cavalier whom he had once called his friend--he believed it would do him a world of good to embrace Jerome--he had more than once suspected that the modern Beau Brummel was guilty of the awful crime--in a gentleman--of wearing stays inside his coat, so that he might appear more military in his figure; and the opportunity was at hand to ascertain the truth. Thus he stretched out his arms and took the man who leaped forward, to his heart. Such an embrace as he gave the Adonis--Georgia thought she heard his ribs crack under the anaconda-like strain, and his tongue certainly did protrude from between his teeth. Again Captain Beven's accommodating sneeze sounded like a trumpet through the vessel. It was the last call--the little party was in the act of leaving the cabin--he had exhausted all his resources in the endeavor to hold them back a while longer. Roderic was hardly in a condition to carry out his part of the programme, nor did he care very much, now that his secret had been juggled with, and the truth must be made known to all. First Jerome should be attended to. His ardor had really run away with his usual discretion--it must be cooled off, and Roderic for one knew a means of accomplishing the same. Time was a factor in his calculations also, since at any moment General Porfidio and the others were apt to appear on the scene.