The truth of the whole matter dawned upon David at last. Rogers was the cause of all the discouragements he had met. The business upon which he had come was to try to persuade him to return home. He had been sent for that purpose. He chuckled grimly as he thought how Rogers would have to report failure of his mission. They would see that he was not a quitter. He did not blame his father for guarding his welfare but he would prove to the world that he could look after his own interest in any place and under any circumstances. The newly acquired knowledge made him more determined than ever. So, as he returned to his lodgings a plan formed itself in his mind; he would put it into effect without delay. There was but one other matter that had to be attended to first. He must see that Rogers actually sailed on the departing steamer; with him out of the way, the rest would be easy. A full hour before the ship was due to leave, David went aboard. And about the first person he met on deck was Rogers. “I came to see you off,” he said in a friendly manner. Rogers looked at him with a puzzled expression on his face. “You _are_ going, aren’t you?” “Why, yes, I guess so.” “Seems to me you ought to know for sure. If you don’t, I will tell you. You _are_. I am on to your game. The best thing for you to do is not to waste any more time. Tell them back home I am all right; and that you did your best to discourage me but--you know the result. I am sending letters on this same boat. Now, good-bye, and have a nice trip. I am going to wait at the dock until you are out of sight.” For a moment Rogers did not know what to say. Then he extended his hand. “Good-bye,” he said simply. “No hard feelings so far as I am concerned. You went to a lot of trouble for nothing.” “I am sorry, that is all.” Rogers appeared dejected. “And I can only hope that you will reconsider the matter before it is too late. Remember how they feel about it back home.” David went ashore and waited. It was with a feeling of relief that he saw the ship move out into the river at last, with Rogers at the rail waving a last farewell. When the vessel finally disappeared from view he turned his steps toward that section of the riverbank where a number of launches were tied up, with their crews either aboard or on the bank. “Where can I hire a boat?” he asked one of the men. “I want to go a short distance up the river.” “There is the _capitain_,” the sailor replied, pointing to a man dressed exactly like the others but wearing an officer’s cap on his head. David repeated the question to the person indicated. “Where to?” he asked. “The ranch Las Palmas.” “Why don’t you go on one of the Las Palmas launches?” the captain asked abruptly. “I would if I knew where to find one. But I have been waiting a number of days and none of their boats has put in here,” David explained. “I will show you one. See that gray launch right over there, the _Aguila_? That belongs to the ranch.”