They all raised their gla.s.ses and shouted boisterously.
Young Glory began to breathe more freely now. There was not a word said as to the escape of Dan Daly and the search for him.
Very soon he discovered from the talk that the officers were in complete ignorance of it. They were posted with their regiment a considerable distance from the village, and were now on their way to headquarters there.
What they had said was true. They had merely stopped at the hut in the hope of obtaining refreshment. No doubt they would soon take their departure.
The wine loosened their tongues, and they began to talk freely. Young Glory lost not a word of what was being said, for it seemed likely that he would hear something that might prove valuable.
"Where to to-night, Ruiz?" asked one man.
"Why ask him? He"ll be waiting for the fair Julia. Her eyes will glance at him from the balcony."
"Wrong for once, gentlemen," said Ruiz.
"Captain Calderon is inconstant," laughed another officer.
"Oh! Ruiz, I did not think that of you."
"And if you did, you would be wrong. No, comrades, luck"s against me to-night. I"m on duty."
"Garrison duty?"
"Worse."
"Can anything be worse?"
"I said so."
"Tell us, Ruiz."
"I"m going to Valmosa."
"What for?"
"There is a lot of ammunition collected there."
"I heard of it."
"Well, it"s to be moved to-night to this place."
"You"ll have hot work. The rebels are in force between here and Valmosa."
"Everybody knows that."
"I wish you good-by, Ruiz," said one of the officers, solemnly. "Old fellow, I pity you!"
"Pshaw! there"s no danger. It"s only the discomfort I"m thinking of. We are going to bring the ammunition to this place by water."
"What!"
"There"s no cause for surprise. It"s the simplest way."
"But the American cruiser. Think of that, Ruiz. She"s sure to be hanging around."
"And if she is, it"s a matter of very little consequence."
"But you"ll be stopped."
"No. We shall be in small boats and keep close in to sh.o.r.e. Now, the Yankee cruiser must stay a good way out, for the water"s not deep enough to let her in. To-night will be dark. There"s no moon till two o"clock, and so it"s simplicity itself to get the stuff through."
"Why did they send you? You don"t belong to those fellows at Valmosa."
"Never saw one of them in my life. But the order was given me, and that"s enough."
"The old general had had his dinner when he gave the order?"
"Yes."
"Then we know what that means. He had more wine than wit in his body."
"I must get away," said Ruiz.
"There"s no hurry."
"Not for you. Stay, if you please."
"No, no; we"ll all go together."
Ruiz Calderon rose.
"I have to get a good horse. The most dangerous part of the business is getting to Valmosa, because I must go near the rebel lines."
"Good luck to Ruiz!" cried all his comrades, emptying their gla.s.ses as they spoke.
"Thank you, gentlemen, thank you. My good fellow, your wine was excellent. If you should hear a horseman gallop past your hut to-night, don"t be alarmed. It will only be me."
Scarcely had they gone, when Dan Daly rushed out.
"Faith, it"s more than flesh an" blood could stand. Arrah! but me mouth watered when I heard the gla.s.ses clinkin". The spalpeens!" he cried in dismay, "they"ve not left a drop for me."
"There"s plenty."
Dan gazed in amazement at the h.o.a.rd of liquor that had been discovered.
"What a find! It"s meself could put in a week here in this blessed hut."
"But you won"t."