"Excellent … excellent … find out where they are making for, and all that sort of thing."
"There are still laws, a police force and troops in Peru, señor. We are not afraid of the Indians."
With which he turned to the four soldiers who had joined them, and who represented what remained of the military force on the costa. Uncle Francis, already delighted with Natividad's plan of following at a distance, approved of it even more warmly when he found that this little escort was to accompany them.
Three policemen mounted on mules, coming from the direction of Callao, now appeared on the road. Natividad at once requisitioned the mules for his expedition. Before starting, "however, he went back into the casa to write a hurried letter to President Veintemilla, explaining what had happened. He did so with a certain malice, remembering that ten years ago this same president had been Chief of Police, and had threatened to suspend him for his "mad reports."
One of the policemen, entrusted with the letter, started back toward Callao at once. The two others were ordered to take charge at the hacienda and begin a preliminary enquiry. Then Natividad and Uncle Francis mounted two of the commandeered mules, the third being
