the rest, but it is rather a shabby thing to try to gain an advantage in
a battle with a woman. Besides, as I'm not clever, I might have failed."

With a languid movement of her head Francisca looked round and Kit
imagined she saw the others were too far off to hear. Then she made him a
half mocking bow.

"We need not quarrel, senor, and I will give you a hint. Since you are
incorruptible, this town is not the place for you. Strangers from the
North sometimes get fever. And I would not like you to suffer because you
are honest, and have chosen the losing side."

"Ah," said Kit, "you think our side will lose?"

Francisca moved her fan, as if to indicate Galdar, who stood in the
moonlight near the fountain. He was smiling urbanely and a number of men
and women had gathered about him. Kit knew they were people of
importance. At the end of the patio, the president stood alone in the
advancing gloom.

"You see!" she said. "Well, I am engaged for the next dance. You have my
leave to go."

Kit left her and sat down in a quiet spot. On the whole, he thought the
president's antagonists had been foolish when they tried to use the girl;
she was, so to speak, too good, and perhaps too proud, for the part they
expected her to play. This, however, was not important; he imagined she
had meant well when she gave him a hint, although the hint was not worth
much, because Kit thought Adam saw how things were going. Then he
reflected with some amusement that he need not bother much about
deceiving the enemy, since Galdar's friends would not suspect that
Buccaneer Askew had knowingly chosen the losing side.

Presently Kit joined Adam, who sat near a lamp. His face was damp and
looked pinched.

"Let's go and get a drink," he said. "I'm thirsty; got a dose of
intermittent fever again."

Some tables behind the pillars were laid out with wine and fruit, and
Adam beckoned a mulatto waiter.

"_Tinto and siphon_. Bring some ice."

"There is no _siphon_, senor. We have sherry, vermouth, and some very
good anisado."

"You have plenty _siphon_" Adam declared. "Go and look."

The waiter went away and Adam frowned. "I can't stand for their scented
liquors; I want a long, cool drink."

After a few minutes, the waiter came back with a large glass, in
which a lump of ice floated in red wine and mineral water. Adam,
sending him away, remarked: "That's a stupid fellow. I wanted to mix
the stuff myself."

He drank thirstily and put down