"Beyond the mark! Why, Dios, Senor Capitan!" cried the General, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Why, she could not tell you a tenth of the truth." And he launched into a long narrative of the oppressions in Cuba. The words came like a torrent, mostly Spanish, occasionally English; and Franklin, sitting there fascinated, his cigar forgotten, could think of nothing save that the daughter's fluency was a gift of heredity. When Moreto had ended and had sunk back half exhausted on the cushions the Captain, usually calm and self-contained, betrayed unwonted enthusiasm. "I'm with you through and through," he exclaimed as he rose from his chair and sought the Cuban's hand. "You haven't had a square deal, and I'd like to see you get it." Moreto's black eyes seemed to pierce him. "Would you help us?" he asked. His tone was so tense and low that Franklin barely caught the words. "Help you! How can I?" Moreto paused again. He was not quite sure of his man. Finally he uncovered his aim: "Take rifles to Cuba." Captain Franklin stepped back. He did not exactly like the proposal. He had always kept out of such musses, and he knew it was violating Federal law to be a filibuster. "I'm only part owner of the Cristobal," he stammered. "I would not like to involve the others." "They need never know. I have a perfectly safe plan." The Captain wavered. He would like to help Moreto and his daughter if it were not for the risk. "What is your plan?" "If we had a thousand rifles to arm Pino Guerra," said Moreto, "we could take San Luis. If we took San Luis we could control Pinar del Rio province. My mission to your country is to get those rifles to a point in that province. I have them boxed, ready for shipment as new machinery for a sugar plantation. They are at Wilmington. I thought I had placed them on a steamer in the Delaware last week, but your confounded Secret Service agents are too vigilant, and they learned from members of the crew that something unusual was up. If you will take those boxes on the Cristobal I can get them here on Friday and will arrange for an insurgent schooner to meet you at any point you name. Will you do it?" "It's risky business," slowly said the Captain, lighting a fresh Vuelta cigar. "It means liberty to us. Dios, Senor Captain, where would your country be if the French had not helped Washington and his ragged rebels?" Franklin puffed away slowly. The Cuban watched him. At last the Captain made a decision. "You may send those rifles along," he said. The two men grasped hands again. They were in that position when Catherine put her head in the library door. "You're as quiet as two conspirators," she laughingly said. "Perhaps we are conspiring, Senorita," called General Moreto as the girl shut herself from view again. "That is a charming daughter of yours, Captain," said the Cuban, in his best English. "Ah! but your girl has the head and the wit. You find her a great help, don't you?"