ions to go forward to the United States
in the consular mailbag.

Still other papers required careful consideration.

"If you will excuse me," said the consul, rising, "I will go into
another room to dictate a letter that I wish to send to your captain."

Dave passed through another half hour of waiting.

"It will be some time before the papers are ready," reported the
consul, on his return. "In the meantime, Mr. Darrin, I am quite
at your service."

"I wonder if you have received any further news about the Tampico
incident," Dave smiled, questioningly.

"Nothing further, I fancy, than was sent by wireless to all the
American warships in these waters."

"Is that incident going to lead to war?" Darrin asked.

"It is hard to say," replied the consul, musingly. "But the people
at home are very much worked up over it."

"They are?" asked Dave, eagerly.

"Indeed, yes! In general, the American press predicts that now
nothing is so likely as United States intervention in this distracted
country. Some of our American editors even declare boldly that
the time has come to bring about the permanent occupation and
annexation of Mexico."

"I hope our country won't go that far," Dave exclaimed, with a
gesture of disgust. "I should hate to think of having to welcome
the Mexicans as fellow citizens of the great republic."

"I don't believe that we need worry about it," smiled the consul.
"It is only the jingo papers that are talking in that vein."

"How does Congress feel about the situation?" Dave asked.

"Why, I am glad to say that Congress appears to be in line for as
strong action as the government may wish to take."

"It really looks like war, then."

"It looks as though our troops might land on the Mexican coast
by way of reprisal," replied the consul. "That would bring stubborn
resistance from the Mexicans, and then, as a result, intervention
would surely follow. There may be men with minds bright enough
to see the difference between armed intervention and war."

"I'm stupid then," Ensign Dave smiled. "I can't see any difference
in the actual results. So you believe, sir, that the people of
the United States are practically a unit for taking a strong hand
in Mexican affairs?"

"The people of the United States have wanted just that action for
at least two years," the consul answered.

"That was the way it looked to me," Dave nodded. "By the way,
sir, did you hear anything about an armed encounte