sea, or ruminating in bovine
wantonness on the glacis before the Presidio.

Eleanor Keene, who with her countrywomen had been hurried to the refuge
of the Mission, was more disturbed and excited at the prospect of
meeting Hurlstone again than by any terror of the insurrection. But
Hurlstone was not there, and Father Esteban received her with a coldness
she could not attribute entirely to her countrymen's supposed sympathy
with the insurgents. When Richard Keene, who would not leave his sister
until he had seen her safe under the Mission walls, ventured at her
suggestion to ask after the American recluse, Father Esteban replied
dryly that, being a Christian gentleman, Hurlstone was the only one who
had the boldness to seek out the American filibuster Perkins, on his
own ship, and remonstrate with him for his unholy crusade. For the old
priest had already become aware of Hurlstone's blunder, and he hated
Eleanor as the primary cause of the trouble. But for her, Diego would be
still with him in this emergency.

"Never mind, Nell," said Dick, noticing the disappointed eyes of his
sister as they parted, "you'll all be safe here until we return. Between
you and me, Banks, Brimmer, and I think that Brace and Winslow have gone
too far in this matter, and we're going to stop it, unless the whole
thing is over now, as they say."

"Don't believe that," said Crosby. "It's like their infernal
earthquakes; there's always a second shock, and a tidal wave to follow.
I pity Brace, Winslow, and Perkins if they get caught in it."

There seemed to be some reason for his skepticism, for later the calm of
the Mission Garden was broken upon by the monotonous tread of banded men
on the shell-strewn walks, and the door of the refectory opened to
the figure of Senor Perkins. A green silk sash across his breast, a
gold-laced belt, supporting a light dress-sword and a pair of pistols,
buckled around the jaunty waist of his ordinary black frock-coat, were
his scant martial suggestions. But his hat, albeit exchanged for a soft
felt one, still reposed on the back of his benevolent head, and seemed
to accent more than ever the contrast between his peaceful shoulders
and the military smartness of his lower figure. He bowed with easy
politeness to the assembled fugitives; but before he could address them,
Father Esteban had risen to his feet,--

"I thought that this house, at least, was free from the desecrating
footsteps of lawlessness and impiety