“If she ever marries that Chawedbones----!” roared Stanley, shaking his fist. But hardly had the sound of the departing senorita’s horse died away before a fresh clatter of hoofs, coming from the opposite direction, sounded. “Here comes the general,” guessed Stanley. “Now stand by for squalls.” His guess was right. The horses of the new arrivals were checked in front of the prison door, and after much clanking of the bolts General de Guzman himself stalked in, followed by Colonel Charbonde. In the background hovered Hank Harkins, but he did not enter the dungeon. The memory of Ned’s blow was too recent for that. “Prisoners, I have come to make a proposal to you,” began the general, without any preliminaries. The prisoners nodded. All but Ned wondered what was coming next. The Dreadnought Boy had already formed an idea. That he was correct in his surmise as to the cause of the general’s visit the next words of that officer proved. “One of your number spoke of a will,” went on the insurgent leader. “For reasons of my own I wish it. I have come to offer you your lives in exchange for the document.” “What do you want with it?” asked Ned. “That does not concern you. It is sufficient that I wish it,” shot out the dictator. “Are you willing to give it to me?” Ned’s eyes fell on Charbonde’s face at that moment. His repulsive countenance was fairly ablaze with eagerness. “I’ll give him a shock,” thought Ned maliciously. “In order that you may dictate terms to Senorita de Guzman and her mother, I suppose?” he inquired amiably. The general’s face grew livid. Even through the gloom of the cell they could see his color change to an angry white. “What do you know of this?” he thundered. “Enough to send you to jail if you were in the United States,” retorted Ned coolly. “So you offer us our liberty for that document?” “I do. But you had better hasten to accept. I may change my mind.” “Oh, no, you won’t--not while you can assume authority over an unfortunate widow and her daughter. You want my answer to your proposition?” “I do--yes. That is what I came for.” “Then, so far as I am concerned, it is--no!” “Same here,” put in the midshipman. Herc echoed his words. “Better make it unanimous,” grunted Stanley. “I will have you searched!” shouted the general, “and then have you shot afterward.” “Search away. Your soldiers will get some exercise, and that is all.” The general stepped to the door and beckoned. A man stepped up to him--some one who had evidently been awaiting some such signal. With a start of astonishment the boys recognized the proprietor of the Villa Esperenza. “Now, my good cousin,” said the general, addressing him, “did you not overhear these men consulting about this will?” “Indeed, I did. It was in one of my soda summer houses. I heard every word.” “You did, did you, you sea-swab?” bellowed Stanley. “I wish I’d got my fists on you then. There’d have been one less in the soda business.”