they cannot take it, or any other port or city that the valiant army of the republic guards."
"That is immaterial," Henderson said, his indifference seeming to increase as in a man who held a strong blow in reserve.
Felipe produced a cigarette, and the sun-glass for lighting it. He turned his back on General Garvanza to bring the little point of heat to the cigarette's tip. Where Henderson was merely indifferent, Felipe was lightly insolent. He jerked his shoulders; he sniffed with audible sound as he blew smoke out of his nose.
"And so you send your only cannon to the pass to stop the march of a lie," Felipe said, after a due and impressive silence.
"I believed the rumor until two hours ago," Roberto confessed, with what appeared sincerity. "Dispatches arrived after your foray on my poor cowards. If you had waited, you might have taken the messenger and confirmed what I tell you for yourselves. The United States navy has not been in the bay of Monterey; there are no United States ships on this coast."
"That was the smallest of our hopes," Henderson declared.
They had met Roberto about midway between the cannon and the gate. Roberto scowled as he looked around in the pause that followed Henderson's last word, pulling his long lip, flattening it against his teeth. He saw the few men under arms, and the nature of their weapons. None knew bet-
