"Thanks," he answered, with a modest smile. "To spare you the trouble of having me executed, I will execute myself," he added, good temperedly, as he felt his coat pocket. He drew out a pocketbook crammed with Bank of England notes, and made up the sum of two thousand piastres, which he laid on the table. "I have now only to thank you," the General said, as he picked up the notes. "And I you, Excellency," he answered. "Why so?" "Because you have given me a lesson by which I shall profit when the occasion offers." "Take care, Señor Lionel," the General said, meaningly; "you will not, perhaps, come across a man so good-natured as myself." The merchant restored the portfolio to his pocket, bowed to the General, and went out. It was three o'clock; all had been finished in less than an hour; it was quick work. "Poor scamps, after all, those gringos," the General said, when he was alone; "oh, if we had not to deal with mountaineers and campesinos we should soon settle this population." "General," said an aide-de-camp, as he opened the door, "Colonel Melendez asks whether you will deign to receive him, in spite of the late hour?" "Is Colonel Melendez here?" the General asked in surprise. "He has this instant arrived, General; can he come in?" "Of course; show him in at once." In a few minutes the Colonel appeared. "Here you are at last," the General cried, as he went to meet him; "I fancied you were either dead or a prisoner." "It was a tossup that one of the two events did not happen." "Oh, oh! Then you have something serious to tell me." "Most serious, General." "Hang it, my friend, take a chair and let us talk." "Before all, General," the Colonel remarked, "do you know our position?" "What do you mean?" "Only, General, that you may possibly be ignorant of certain events that have happened." "I think I have heard grave events rumoured, though I do not exactly know what has happened." "Listen, then! The _Libertad_ corvette is in the hands of the insurgents." "Impossible!" the General exclaimed, bounding in his chair. "General," the young officer said, in a mournful voice, "I have to inform you of something more serious still." "Pardon me, my friend, perhaps I am mistaken, but it seems to me highly improbable that you could have obtained such positive news during the pleasure trip you have been making." "Not only, General, have the insurgents seized the _Libertad_, but they have also made themselves masters of the Fort of the Point." "Oh!" the General shouted, as he rose passionately, "this time, Colonel, you are badly informed; the Fort of the Point is impregnable." "It was taken in an hour by thirty Freebooters, commanded by the Jaguar." The General hid his face in his hands, with an expression of despair impossible to render. "Oh! It is too much at once," he exclaimed. "That is not all," the Colonel continued, sharply. "What have you to tell me more terrible than what you have just said?"