shall take care of myself, and may return it to you when next we meet.
The same advice to you, sir," he adds, addressing Calderon, who stands
near equally cowed and crestfallen.

After dictating these humiliating conditions--which, _nolens volens_,
the defeated bravos are obliged to accept--the young officers leap back
into their saddles, and trot off to rejoin the ladies.

Having overtaken these, they continue their homeward ride, with no fear
of its being again interrupted by a "_golpe de caballo_."

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

"HASTA CADIZ!"

On leaving Captain Lantanas, the _ex-ganadero_ returns to his house--
though not direct. He has business to transact in the town, which stays
him. He has to see Don Tomas Silvestre, the shipping-agent, and give
directions about inserting the advertisement for sailors. That is an
affair that will occupy only a few minutes. But he has another with the
agent of a more important kind. He is personally acquainted with
Silvestre, who is, like himself, a Peninsular Spaniard and Biscayan.
Don Gregorio knows he can trust him, and does--telling him all he has
told Lantanas, making further known the arrangement he has entered into
for passages to Panama, and instructing him to assist the Chilian
skipper in procuring a crew.

The more confidential matter relates to the shipment of his gold-dust.
He trembles to think of the risk he runs of losing it. San Francisco is
filled with queer characters--men who would stick at nothing.

Don Tomas knows this without being told. And the thought haunts the
Biscayan like a spectre, that he will have his treasure taken from him
by theft, burglary, or bold open robbery.

He has good reason for so apprehending. Among the latest accessions to
the population of San Francisco all three classes of criminals are
represented, and in no stinted numbers. There are ticket-of-leave men
from Australia, jail-birds from the penitentiaries of the States,
'scape-the-gallows customers from every quarter of the globe; to say
nothing of the native bandits, of which California has its share. If
known to these that yellow metal, to the value of three hundred thousand
dollars, was lying unguarded in the house of Don Gregorio Montijo, it
would not be there many days or nights. Its owner has done what he
could to keep this a secret; but the sale and transfer of his land have
leaked out, as also the handsome price obtained, and paid over to him;
hence a natural