"You bet you can trust me," was Billie"s emphatic reply. "Come on, fellows, let"s go look after my horse."
In the door Billie turned:
"I"ll leave my robe in the cupboard, Senorita; and, if you don"t mind, I"ll ask Lieutenant Blunt to make himself at home in the patio."
"The house is yours, senor. Do as you think best."
"By George!" exclaimed Adrian as they descended the stairs to the patio, "this is getting serious."
"What?" queried Donald.
"Why this affair of Billie and the young lady we have just left."
"Nonsense!" from Billie. "It isn"t half as serious as what I saw at Moreno."
"No!" laughed Donald. "I saw that myself; but Josie is an American. Hey, Ad?"
"I don"t think it"s very nice to be making remarks about young ladies in their absence," retorted Adrian, bristling up.
"Oh, come now, Adrian!" laughed Billie. "You started it. But what do you make out of Santiago?"
"He"s evidently a rich old chap with a bug. That"s all."
"Well," commented Billie, with a nod of his head, "strange things do happen when you travel. Who"d have thought we"d ever see the old chap again, and at a time like this?" and he went back to where Adrian and Donald had stabled the horses, to see if there was anything he could do for the wounded animal.
When Lieutenant Blunt was made acquainted with the conditions prevailing in the house, he immediately took possession of the lower floor and from that time on until the arrival of General Funston with the Fifth Brigade, it was made one of the official residences.
The week following the occupation of Vera Cruz by the American forces was a busy one for our boys. Because of their intimate knowledge with the Spanish language, they were continually in demand. There was never a verbal message from the American Admiral to some Mexican official but what they were called upon, and they very soon made friends of every Jackie and marine in the city.
Ten days later the boys stood upon the wharf awaiting the arrival of the first boatload of General Funston"s regulars from the big transports which had anch.o.r.ed in the harbor the night before.
Because of the shallowness of the water, everything in Vera Cruz harbor has to be brought ash.o.r.e in small boats, known as lighters. As the boys watched the first of these to approach there was something in the face and bearing of the officer in command which attracted their attention.
"By George!" exclaimed Donald, "I seem to know that face. Don"t you, Billie?"
"Does look kind o" familiar. Where have we seen him?"
"I"ll tell you!" cried Adrian. "It"s the lieutenant who was in charge of the patrol on the Rio Grande."
"Lieutenant Grant!" exclaimed Billie. "Sure as you"re born. Well this is luck!"
"Luck? What do you mean?"
"Why, maybe he"ll be able to tell me whatever became of those drafts for ten thousand pounds that I took from old Don Pablo."
His companions laughed.
"Still thinking about that, are you?" said Donald. "Why of course you"ll never hear of them again. The bank is simply in that much."
"Maybe so," admitted Billie, "but I"ll get something official."
And he did.
It was several days later, though, after the regulars had taken possession of the city and the navy forces had withdrawn to their ships. The boys were sitting in Lieutenant Grant"s quarters, to whom they had offered their services as soon after his landing as they were able, and were laughing over their adventures on the border.
"It was certainly a close call you boys had," the lieutenant was saying. "I"m not sure but our neutrality was mighty near a breaking point. What do you think, Billie?"
"Possibly so; Americans will be Americans. But say, Lieutenant, whatever was done about those drafts I took from Don Pablo? I"ve never been called upon to tell my story, nor have they ever come back to me."
"That"s because you were out of the United States," replied Lieutenant Grant. "It was less than a month ago that I was asked if I knew your whereabouts. Uncle Sam has decided that he has no claim to the drafts and they were returned to me. I have them in my army chest. If they are any good to you, I shall be pleased to hand them over."
"I guess they are not much use to any one," sighed Billie mournfully. "My father says no bank would cash them without Don Pablo"s signature, and no one can get that."
"I"m glad you take it so philosophically," laughed the lieutenant. "I hope you"ll have better luck next time."
The boys arose to leave.
"Which way?" asked the lieutenant.
"No place in particular. We thought we"d go home."
"You mean to the United States?"
"Not to-night," laughed Adrian. "Just to the house where we are living. It belongs to old Santiago."
"Who is he?"
Briefly the boys narrated what they knew about him on the Rio Grande, how they had met him here, and why they were staying at his house.
"Has he no other name?"
"Why, yes, I suppose so," replied Billie. "We always call him Prince to his face, and his daughter as the Princess Lucia. Of course, it is all make-believe, but it is one way of keeping him quiet."
He called to one of Santiago"s servants, whom Lucia had lent them to look after their horses.
"Oh, Ch.o.m.o!" he said. "Do you know what Santiago"s surname is?"
"Si, senor. It is Ojeda."
"What?" cried all the boys at once. "Ojeda? Why, that was old Don Pablo"s name."
The boys stood and eyed each other in speechless wonder. The same thought was in all their minds.
"Do you think it is possible?" asked Billie at last.
"Do I think what is possible?" asked Lieutenant Grant.
"Why, that Santiago could have given those drafts to the stranger so as not to be known in the matter."