, canvass your
best for me, Cris Rock; and I shall do my best to make a suitable
speech. If our united efforts prove successful, then Texas shall gain a
friend, and Luisa Valverde lose _one_ of her lovers."

At the conclusion of this speech--half boastful, half bitter--Florence
Kearney had reached the hotel where he was stopping--the celebrated
"Saint Charles," and entering its grand saloon, sat down to reflect
further on the step he was about to take.

CHAPTER THREE.

OFFICERING THE FILIBUSTERS.

The volunteer _rendezvous_ was in a tavern, better known by the name of
"Coffee House," in the street called Poydras. The room which had been
chartered for the occasion was of ample dimensions, capable of
containing three hundred men. Drawn together by the printed
proclamation that had attracted the attention of the young Irishman in
his afternoon stroll, two-thirds of the above number had collected, and
of these at least one-half were determined upon proceeding to Texas.

It was a crowd composed of heterogeneous elements--such as has ever
been, and ever will be, the men who volunteer for a military, more
especially a filibustering expedition.

Present in the hall were representatives of almost every civilised
nation upon earth. Even some that could scarce boast of civilisation;
for among the faces seen around the room were many so covered with
beards, and so browned with sun, as to tell of long sojourn in savage
parts, if not association with the savages themselves. In obedience to
the counsels of the Texan, Florence Kearney--a candidate for command
over this motley crew--made early appearance in their midst. Not so
early as to find that, on entering the room, he was a stranger to its
occupants. Cris Rock had been there before him, along with a half-score
of his _confreres_--old Texans of the pure breed--who having taken part
in most of the struggles of the young Republic, had strayed back to New
Orleans, partly for a spree, and partly to recruit fresh comrades to aid
them in propagating that principle which had first taken them to Texas--
the "Monroe Doctrine."

To these the young Irishman was at once confidentially introduced, and
"stood drinks" freely. He would have done so without care of what was
to come of it; since it was but the habit of his generous nation. Nor
would this of itself have given him any great advantage, for not long
after entering the room, he discovered that not only drinks, but
d